Carer Avoids Jail Over Pensioner Scam

A Fife carer -who stole £700 from a 91 year old woman she was working for has avoided a jail term.

Jennifer Burns, 27, from Gauldry took money from Dr Alexina McWhinnie while using her bank card - Dr McWhinnie is a renowned academic who worked at Dundee University and received an MBE in 2010.

Burns admitted the theft at Dundee Sheriff Court and has been sentenced to 120 hours unpaid work - and has to pay the money back.

Dr McWhinnie said: "If you can't trust the people who look after you, then who can you trust?"
 
Fiscal depute John Adams told the court: "The complainer is a 91-year-old female whose family employs care services to assist her.
 
"On December 19 her son came to stay with her in the run up to Christmas and was checking her bank records when he realised something had gone awry.
 
"They reconciled this with information from the care firm and it was realised the accused had been the person there on the relevant dates.
 
"The complainer accepts that at some point she had given the card and PIN to the accused and asked her to withdraw money for her.
 
"But these transactions were not authorised and the total amount involved is £950.
 
"When she was charged she said 'I've never done anything like this before - I feel terrible'."
 
Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC imposed a community payback order with 120 hours unpaid work, one year's supervision and ordered her to pay £700 in compensation.
 
She said: "You are a young person and a first offender.
 
"But this was a very old lady that you took advantage of and that's just not acceptable."
 
Dr Alexina McWhinnie said she was "foolish" to give her bank card and PIN to Burns.
 
She said: "I foolishly asked her (Burns) on one occasion if she would mind going to the cash machine for me as I struggle to get down there.
 
"I didn't realise straight away but somehow she must have been able to use my card over the next month."
 
Dr McWhinnie said she contacted police after she noticed a large sum of money was missing from her account.
 
She said: "I was foolish to put temptation in her way, but if you can't trust the people who look after you, then who can you trust?
 
"She took advantage of my trust and it left me shattered. I felt as if I'd been cheated and it made me realise how vulnerable I am."