A Scots son who callously stole 1000's of kilos from his disabled mum has been instructed by a sheriff : “You must actually grasp your head in disgrace.”
Daniel McDonald, 28, left his mom Jane Knox dwelling in "sparse" circumstances with empty cabinets, primary furnishings, inadequate clothes and a damaged cooker.
Whereas she survived on microwave meals and charity from meals banks he repeatedly took money from her checking account and positioned orders for Netflix films, Ps video games, tanning classes at Indigo Solar and takeaway meals from Simply Eat.
Cash was additionally going from her account to subprime cash lenders Amigo loans, Livingston Sheriff Courtroom was instructed, consuming up her £1,121 month-to-month profit funds between June and October 2019 and leaving her £445 within the purple.
Louise Alexander, prosecuting, mentioned one other carer was ultimately appointed to take care of Mrs Knox, who suffers from Spina Bifida and Cerebral Palsy and is paralysed down one facet.
The carer discovered that the meals cabinets in her kitchen had been nearly empty and social staff needed to supply 4 meals parcels from an area charity.
Miss Alexander mentioned the carer raised issues that Mrs Knox was sleeping in her daytime garments. She mentioned: “She had no underwear and solely six pairs of pants,” she mentioned.
When a financial institution assertion in October 2019 displaying that Mrs Knox’s checking account was overdrawn, the carer contacted the police and officers took an announcement from McDonald’s mom.
The fiscal instructed the court docket: “She mentioned she was terrified of the accused and said that he had her financial institution card and wouldn't give her it again.
“Police acquired the financial institution statements regarding the complainers account and famous that there have been a variety of transactions of curiosity.
“There have been additionally withdrawals from money factors and a lot of debit cost transactions for meals shops.”
In an additional police interview, McDonald’s mum instructed detectives that she had requested him to return her financial institution card on roughly 20 events however he had instructed her: “What would you like cash for? You don’t exit!”
Mrs Knox was ultimately taken into respite care and officers who went to her dwelling to interview McDonald famous that her bed room was “very sparse” and furnished with only a mattress, a small chest of drawers and a commode.
Once they requested McDonald the place his mum’s financial institution card was, he produced it from his pockets earlier than “talking freely” to them about his dealing with of his mom’s funds.
“He mentioned that he’d withdrawn £500 from his mom’s account on a month-to-month foundation to cowl payments however didn’t use the cardboard for funds at shops or on-line.”
McDonald, of Falconer Rise, Livingston, initially denied embezzling GBP13,200 from his mum however, on the eve of his trial, pleaded responsible to embezzling slightly below £10,000 between 1 September 2017 and 27 January 2020.
The prosecution accepted his not responsible plea to a cost of repeatedly shouting at his mom, acted in an aggressive method in the direction of her and threatening her with violence over a 17 month interval
Darryl Lovie, defending, mentioned McDonald struggled to say why he had taken cash from his mom’s account.
He mentioned: “The offence has brought about him appreciable concern and he has introduced to the writer of the background report as typically tearful.
“He’s a person who undertook the care of his mom when he was in his early 20s and it’s clear he had difficulties.
“Extra considerably he’s a primary offender, he has no different excellent circumstances and apart from on this event, he’s by no means come to the eye of the police or the prison justice system.”
He mentioned the accused had been topic to a particular bail situation banning him from contacting his mum since 28 January final yr.
He had since led a largely pro-social life, and was now in work and attributable to change into a father himself later this yr.
Passing sentence, Sheriff John MacRitchie instructed McDonald: “It is a notably imply and ugly offence involving you in response to the outline of your mom’s dwelling circumstances by the Crown.
“She had no cash to get meals and needed to depend on charity since you had been stealing her cash and leaving her in a room with only a mattress and minimal furnishings.
“It’s well past the custody threshold and a jail sentence is justified. Have been it not for the truth that you’re a primary offender I’d don't have any hesitation in imposing on the very higher finish of my sentencing powers.”
The sheriff went on: “You must actually grasp your head in disgrace. You probably did that to somebody who introduced you into the world and, to the extent of almost £10,000, left her in that place.
“However the disgust anybody listening to the narrative at present will really feel in the direction of what you’ve executed I do really feel that the suitable sentence as a direct various to imprisonment is one in all 250 hours of unpaid work and compensation for the total sum of £9,999 payable at a minimal of £200 monthly.”
He mentioned he had discounted the sentence by one-sixth to replicate the truth that McDonald had provided to plead responsible earlier than trial, avoiding the necessity for witnesses, together with his mom, to return to court docket to offer proof.
He burdened that McDonald ought to be sure that he repaid the cash so his mom may hopefully have restored to her the essential requirements that he had faraway from her on account of his “fairly appalling actions”.
He added: “I make no apologies for emphasising to you that when you do something like this sooner or later the truth that you’re a primary offender – the one motive you’re not being despatched to jail at present – is not going to apply.”
Do not miss the newest information from round Scotland and past - Signal as much as our each day e-newsletterright here.