A man who went on a spending spree with his girlfriend’s great-grandmother’s bank card has been ordered to pay compensation to his 84-year-old victim.
Brendan McKim bought more than £70 worth of food, drink, toiletries, lottery tickets and cigarettes at a corner shop in Luncarty. He also withdrew £110.
The 24-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted debit card fraud, committed on March 15 last year.
The court heard that, while acting with another, he obtained £186.26 of goods by pretending to staff at the Langlands Spar he was the female octogenarian owner of the payment card.
McKim, who was previously branded “idiotic” for a bizarre “bouncy, bouncy, bouncy” rant at police, was fined £450 and must pay £200 compensation.
Dementia
Fiscal depute Erika Watson told the court: “The owner of the bank card is an elderly lady.
“She is frail, no longer lives at home and there is an indication that she has dementia.
“At this time, Mr McKim was in a relationship with her great-granddaughter.
“In the early evening, the accused and his girlfriend attended at the complainer’s home.
“She let them in and they sat together in the lounge for a period of time.
“After a while, both got up and announced they were going to the local shop.”
They returned later with soft drinks and cigarettes, the fiscal depute said.
Both stayed a bit longer, before leaving.
Later that night, the great-granddaughter posted on Facebook about the missing bank card.
“She asked anyone who found it to hand it in,” said Ms Watson.
It was later established the card had been used and money had been taken out.
Police viewed CCTV at the Spar in Luncarty. It showed McKim using the card at the till.
“He was seen obtaining the goods after presenting the card on his own,” the prosecutor said.
She said it was not clear where McKim’s girlfriend was at the time.
Complicit
His lawyer said: “My client’s position is that his girlfriend obtained the card and provided it to him to make the transaction.
“He accepts he was complicit.”
She said he was not aware the extent of the owner’s bad health.
She added: “The relationship was a very negative one.
“He had moved to Perth to live with her but felt isolated from friends and family.”
The couple broke-up in December and McKim went back to West Lothian.
McKim, previously of Mill Street, Stanley, but now living in Bathgate, was placed on supervision for a year and ordered to stay away from his ex-girlfriend.
“I’ll not go back to her anyway, she’s a rat,” McKim said.
Bouncy bouncy bouncy
Earlier this year, McKim pled guilty to a disturbance at his then-home in Perth’s Tiree Place.
The court heard he jumped up and down and shouted at police officers: “Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, na na na.”
His behaviour was described by Sheriff David Hall as “idiotic.”
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