AN IRVINE woman has been given a chance to avoid jail despite her "absolutely disgraceful conduct" towards a pensioner with dementia.
Deborah Scanlan is awaiting sentence having previously pleaded guilty to six charges in relation to matters.
She appeared for sentencing earlier this week though Sheriff Murdoch Mactaggart delayed his decision to allow for further reports to be prepared.
The 44-year-old admitted four charges relating to stealing money from the man, and another two of committing fraud using his bank card.
The court was told that the owner of the bank card was a 77-year-old man who suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s.
The procurator fiscal depute said that he has "no capacity to make decisions" and is regularly visited by carers and neighbours.
One neighbour raised concerns after noticing that a person she did not recognise started coming to the man's house.
They said that, due to the pensioner's presentation, he is likely to accept anyone as being a friend or relative without question.
Doorbell footage and CCTV later linked Scanlon, of Girdle Toll, to a number of incidents relating to the man.
She was first seen arriving at the OAP's house on March 11 before taking him to RBS on High Street where £100 was withdrawn from his account.
On March 20, Scanlon was seen at his home again before taking the man to Tesco at the Riverway Retail Park.
CCTV from the supermarket showed her together with him using an ATM there. She was seen operating the cash machine and removing cash as well as taking possession of the man's card.
Some £250 was withdrawn from the account at this time.
Further incidents took place on March 21 when Scanlon was known to have taken out £500 from an ATM at Keystore on Burns Crescent across two separate transactions.
In total, £850 was withdrawn and stolen by Scanlon.
She also used the card to pay for goods worth £34.71 at the BP petrol station on Littlestane Road - again across two visits.
The callous crook was traced by police at her home address on April 8. A search was also conducted at this time.
Officers recovered a number of items during this including a letter addressed to the pensioner and a notepad which contained information about him.
Scanlon was subsequently arrested, cautioned and charged to which she made no reply.
Defending, solicitor Paul Gallagher asked that consideration be given to a full Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO) assessment "given her lengthy addiction issues".
He added: "She may now be at a stage in life where she is in a position to engage with such a disposal."
Sheriff Mactaggart agreed to defer sentence to allow for these reports to be prepared.
He added: “You are very fortunate. It used to be that when elderly, vulnerable, people were taken advantage of you would be looking at time in the jail.
“This is absolutely disgraceful conduct.”
Scanlon will return for sentencing at a later date. She was granted bail until this time with special conditions including a curfew and that she does not approach or contact her victim.
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