A line has been drawn under the case of an Angus woman who stole £23,000 worth of jewellery and cash from a friend’s home while her pal was holidaying in Lanzarote — even though she has been unable to pay a penny of an £1,800 court compensation order.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard that Susan Beattie had completed all of the 160 hours of unpaid work imposed as part of a Community Payback Order for the October 2103 offence.
In what a sentencing sheriff previously described as a crime of “significant dishonesty”, Beattie swiped the valuable haul from the Ashludie steadings home of Monifieth pal Michelle Sales.
Ms Sales returned from her sunshine break home to find broken windows in the bedroom of her home and jewellery and money gone.
Beattie, 44, was subsequently found guilty after trial in the summer of 2014 of the theft and given the community order.
A trial heard the offence followed a 10-year friendship between Beattie and her victim, who had instantly suspected the accused of the theft.
Beattie later claimed Ms Sales had given her the haul as part of an insurance fraud scheme, but the sheriff at the trial ruled there was no evidence to support that suggestion.
She was subsequently found guilty after trial in the summer of 2014 of the theft and given the community order.
However, Beattie lost her job and is now receiving employment support allowance, relying on family to help her pay a mortgage.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard she had completed the unpaid work and supervision elements of the CPO, but her parlous financial position had meant that the compensation was still outstanding.
Sheriff Gregor Murray told Beattie: “You were ordered to pay compensation on the basis of your income at the time.
“It’s quite obvious that this crime has led to a deterioration in your earning capacity and on that basis I am advised that the compensation order should be revoked.
“The Community Payback Order is essentially completed.”
