A sick thief who stole thousands of pounds from an 83-year-old dementia sufferer in Glenrothes has been jailed.
Bogus workman Matthew Morrison obtained the woman’s bank card and PIN to withdraw the money – at times forcing her to be overdrawn – between May 16 and June 13 this year.
The 33-year-old returned on June 25 but was confronted by the woman’s relative and a man, who Morrison then punched in the face.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the callous thief also sneaked through a window into a 91-year-old woman’s home earlier that day and stole £930 in cash, a quantity of food and a necklace.
Morrison was already under a bail order not to pretend to be a gutter cleaner in Glenrothes.
Caught by carer
Procurator fiscal depute Sarah Smith told the court the 83-year-old woman’s niece obtained bank statements showing a total of £3,332.10 had been withdrawn from her aunt’s bank account.
Ms Smith said the pensioner was reliant on the account to pay for food and bills at her home in the town’s Ryan Road and withdrawals on two occasions caused her to be overdrawn.
The fiscal depute said Morrison was also captured on CCTV making withdrawals from an ATM.
Ms Smith said on the morning of June 25 this year, Morrison entered the 91-year-old’s home in Glenrothes’ Dornoch Place through her living room window and stole £930 from her handbag in the living room.
He also pilfered a necklace from the side table.
“To victimise people who are vulnerable in that way is contemptable.”
— Sheriff Alastair Brown.
As Morrison left, a carer for the elderly woman approached the front garden and saw him emerging from the same window.
He claimed the elderly woman had let him in but the woman told the carer she did not know him.
The serial fraudster, who has targeted elderly victims in the past, appeared in the dock from custody to plead guilty to the thefts.
‘Contemptable’
Sheriff Alastair Brown told Morrison there would be a strong expression of public disapproval in this case.
The sheriff said: “Two of your victims were elderly – one was very elderly, the other had dementia.
“To victimise people who are vulnerable in that way is contemptable.
“You stole jewellery and have not thought whether there’s sentimental value much jewellery has.
“Stealing it, particularly from an elderly lady, is also contemptable.
“You were shocked to be confronted when you were back at the door and your reaction was to commit the crime of assault.
“In my opinion the public would disapprove very strongly of that.
“When police were dealing with you, you threatened to spit on them”.
Punched man in face
Morrison had also admitted stealing a house key, mobile phone, Royal Bank of Scotland debit card and a quantity of jewellery from his then-partner’s home in Glenrothes’ Balbirnie Rise on June 25.
The fiscal depute said later that day, Morrison was caught staring through the letterbox of his 83-year-old victim’s home by her niece and another man who lives in the street.
Ms Smith said Morrison was “shocked” when they both answered the door and he said his name was ‘Liam and he was there to “collect money”.
The man recognised Morrison and followed him as he walked away.
The fiscal continued: “The accused turned and punched (the man) to the face.
“The man tried to restrain him and, during the struggle, the accused dropped cash and various documents in the name of Matthew Morrison”.
He was later arrested by police and found with the cash and necklace he had stolen earlier that day.
Morrison also admitted the assault and attempting to defraud the same man by trying to dupe him into paying for roofing services.
He also pled guilty to resisting arrest, kicking a police vehicle, threatening to spit at officers and breaching bail.
‘Shocked’ at own offending
Defence lawyer David Cranston said Morrison is already serving a 17-month prison sentence for previous offending.
He said his client’s life “took a turn for the worse” after the loss of his own grandmother and he had resorted to using drugs.
The solicitor said Morrison, a prisoner at HMP Glenochil, was “shocked” upon hearing the narration of offending in his case.
He said Morrison has been engaging with drug recovery services in prison.
The lawyer added: “He has presented today as ashamed of his actions but hopeful in future he will have a better life with family in it and without addiction”.
The sheriff jailed Morrison for 32 months.
He said the sentence would have been one of four years were it not for his early guilty pleas.
