A care worker who stole a blind pensioner’s purse escaped a court punishment despite a sheriff describing the offence as a “pretty dreadful crime.”
Former Angus Council employee Jane Burns was ordered to pay £40 compensation to the 89-year-old she stole from while working at the pensioner’s house.
However, Sheriff Derek Pyle at Forfar said that while he regarded the matter serious, he was at a loss to impose a realistic sentencing option after looking at the consequences of Burns’ actions.
Burns (32), of Isla Road, Alyth, had been ordered to appear personally before the court, having earlier admitted by letter stealing a purse and its contents on December 14 last year from a house in Inver Terrace, Muirhead.
Depute fiscal Arlene Shaw said the occupier was registered blind and the purse, containing £35, was later found empty on a grass verge. The money was never recovered.
When charged by police, Burns said, “I’m really sorry.”
Defence agent Pauline Fraser said her client had been employed for around 10 months by the local authority but found herself out of work as a result of the offence and the publicity surrounding the case.
“Her position is that she accepts she did take the purse away from the property but panicked and threw it away, rather than returning it to the rightful owner.
“She says it wasn’t her intention to steal it and is struggling to explain her actions. The whole situation is something which appears out of character.”
Sheriff Pyle said the offence seemed “an extraordinarily stupid thing to do for the sake of £35.”
He was told that as a result of becoming unemployed, Burns now faces the prospect of losing her home.
“This is a pretty dreadful crime, to take £35 from a blind person when you are in a position of trust.
“You are of good character, have never been in trouble before and the consequences have been pretty serious. It is all just a pretty bad story.
“You do not have enough income for me to sensibly impose a fine and I cannot look at community service because I am not thinking of jail. There is no focus for probation because you do not have any underlying drug or alcohol issues.
“The best I can do in the very special circumstances, because it has been a salutory experience, is to impose a compensation order for £40.
“In doing so, I must emphasise, however, that I take a very serious view of the nature of this offence.”
A spokesman for Angus Council said, “I can confirm that Mrs Jane Burns has not been employed by Angus Council since February 2, 2011.
“However, we don’t discuss individual matters relating to members of staff, past or present.”