Bank card theft from vulnerable customer lands Girvan woman in jail
A GIRVAN woman who stole a dementia-sufferer’s bank card and went on a two-day shopping spree has been put behind bars.
Shirlene “Daisy” Lindsay, aged 44, of 16 Douneburn Crescent pleaded guilty to three counts of theft and 12 counts of fraud when she appeared before Ayr Sheriff Court yesterday.
Procurator Fiscal Jim Kelman told the court how, while an employee of Premier Stores on Glendoune Street, Girvan, Ms Lindsay had taken advantage of an elderly customer who asked for help with payment for his items.
The court heard how, on November 2, 2012, Ms Lindsay had assisted the customer with his PIN number, then on his second visit to her place of work later the same day had secreted his bank card when he mistakenly left it in the card machine at her till.
During the course of the following two days Ms Lindsay notched up a further two counts of theft when she used the stolen card to obtain cash from cash machines in Girvan and Ayr, and rang up a bill of nearly £2000 at clothing shops in Ayr town centre.
Less than two fifths of her £1936 fraudulent spend has since been recovered by police.
Defence solicitor, John Gallagher, spoke of Ms Lindsay’s genuine contrition for her actions.
He said she was embarrassed and “totally ashamed” by what she had done, and recognised the impact it would have had on the gentleman concerned.
Sheriff Desmond Leslie told Ms Lindsay he had no alternative but to hand down a custodial sentence.
“You saw an opportunity and you exploited it,” he said. “This was an indefensible act on your part on someone who had dementia, to obtain the card, memorise the number, and go on a two-day shopping spree.”
He sentenced Ms Lindsay to six months in prison.
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Saturday 18 May 2013
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