A callous carer stole an elderly wheelchair-bound woman's bank card and used it to carry out a month-long £4,000 spending spree.
Gambling addict Alan Brand wiped out the vulnerable woman's savings as he made more than 20 purchases around Dundee and online.
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Dundee Sheriff Court heard that his victim was being looked after by Brand when she gave him her bank card so he could help her make a purchase from Amazon.
Sometime later, Brand managed to intercept a TSB bank card before it reached the 68-year-old and he used her details to start draining her account.
Brand, 43, from Restalrig, Edinburgh, admitted obtaining goods, cash and services to the value of £4,106.14 by fraud between 20 December 2020 and 21 January 2021.
He used the woman's bank card at locations including Scotmid, the Co-op, Lidl, Tesco Express, Best One and Amazon Marketplace.
The court heard how Brand became the prime suspect when it emerged that in his role as a carer he had previously helped her with an online order.
Fiscal depute Laura Farquhar told the court that his victim was a "vulnerable" and "elderly" woman who lived in the care home where Brand had previously worked.
She told the court that Brand had been asked to help make an Amazon purchase during 2020 and in December that year she reported a missing bank card.
It was discovered that the card had been intercepted and she checked bank statements to establish that 23 transactions had been made without her knowledge.
Mrs Farquhar told the court the care home manager contacted the bank who in turn reimbursed his victim. Police were also contacted. Brand was quickly identified as a suspect having helped the woman with a bank transaction before, and some items he had purchased were found at his previous home.
When he was interviewed by police, Brand admitted presenting the bank card to automated checkouts and online retailers.
Solicitor Carolyn Leckie, defending, said: "He's currently working. His current employer is aware. Mr Brand fully accepts responsibility and does feel extremely remorseful. He accepted responsibility at the first opportunity."
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Ms Leckie added that her client had been struggling to cope with a gambling addiction but now believed he had brought his problem under control.
"At the time of the offence, he had developed a serious gambling problem," she said. "He was in the cycle. That problem had developed over a period of five years. He's sought voluntary support and assistance. That's under control at present."
Sheriff Gregor Murray ordered Brand to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, reduced from the maximum of 300 due to the early plea.
He said paying back TSB was a matter between Brand - who offered to pay compensation - and the bank. "This is a very clear and very significant breach of trust," the sheriff said. "I'm persuaded - just - that there is an alternative to custody."
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