Thieving carer caught by suspicious lawyer

A care home assistant who ripped off a 92-year-old resident was caught after a lawyer became suspicious about how many takeaway curries the pensioner appeared to be ordering.

Perth Sheriff Court heart on Wednesday that the solicitor began to investigate when he discovered that the frail and elderly resident appeared to be using the internet to buy designer tracksuits and other clothes.

He found out that callous Nicola Gordon, 18, was using the old lady’s bank card to lavish designer clothes and jewellery on herself. She was also using the card to buy regular takeaway meals for herself and several of her friends as she stole £1,200 from the woman in less than a month.

Gordon – who has been sacked from Dalnagar Nursing Home – was told that she would have to start saving up to pay back her victim in full.

Fiscal depute Robbie Brown told Perth Sheriff Court: “The victim was a 92-year-old woman who had been resident in the home for six years. The cards were removed from a safe in her room. There was a combination on the safe and the accused was able to obtain it fairly easily.

“It came to light when the solicitor, who had power of attorney, saw certain strange transactions on the account. There were a number for carry-out meals, tracksuits and designer clothing.

“By then £1,200 had been taken. Suspicion fell very readily upon the accused and she admitted taking and using the card for a variety of things such as clothes.”

Gordon, 11 Drumgrain Avenue, Methven, admitted stealing two bank cards at Dalnagar Nursing Home, Methven, Perthshire, between 1 and 5 August this year. She also admitted that between 1 and 28 August she stole goods and services worth 1,200 pounds by pretending she was authorised to use the stolen bank cards.

Solicitor John McLaughlin, defending, said: “The court will consider this to be a very serious matter in light of the victim and the breach of trust involved.

“She now understands that her actions have had a significant impact on a number of others.” He said she was planning to save 20 pounds per fortnight from her Job Seekers Allowance to pay back the victim.

Sheriff Thomas McCartney deferred sentence for Gordon to attend the Right Track project for young offenders.

He said: “It is only your age and the fact you are a first offender that causes me to think I should not give you a substantial period of detention. It is expected that when you come back you will have saved money in order to make immediate repayment. This sum has to be repaid.”

A spokesman for Dalnagar Nursing Home confirmed that Gordon, who had worked for a short time as a part-time care assistant, had been sacked from her job.