Woman stole £746 raised for hospital in memory of late gran

A Fife woman who admitted stealing charity funds raised at a special event in memory of her late grandmother has been sentenced.

Christina Hadden appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court yesterday and was placed on a structured deferred sentence.

The 32-year-old was ordered to reappear at the court in November for a review after previously admitting stealing the £746.

The funds were meant to be given to the diabetes ward at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

Fellow fundraisers grew suspicious after Hadden failed to produce a receipt showing that the three-figure sum donation had been deposited.

Hadden, of Beatty Crescent, pled guilty to stealing the cash following the event held at the Masonic Lodge Hall in the town on October 7 2016.

Depute fiscal Nicola Henderson previously told the court that Hadden had been unable to provide a reasonable excuse for the money not being handed over.

She said: “The accused was called and asked where the money was and she said she had dropped it off at the ward.

“The witness challenged the accused as there was no funds or record of them at the ward.

“They asked for a receipt which would have been given to the accused if the donations had been provided.

“When a satisfactory answer could not be obtained, the accused said she would attend at the ward to drop off the money.

“Alarmed by the conduct of the accused and the missing money, the witness contacted the police to report the matter.”

Hadden, who saved up to repay the money, will reappear on November 13.