Boxing coach jailed for stealing £13,000 from mother-in-law, 92

A boxing coach has been jailed for stealing more than £13,000 from his 92-year-old mother-inlaw who is in a nursing home and suffers from dementia.

Allan McCulloch, 57, took the money from her bank account when he was helping his wife to look after her mother’s finances.

The theft came to light after the woman’s care home fees were not paid, running up a bill of thousands of pounds.

A sheriff told McCulloch that it was a not a complicated financial matter but “straightforward theft”.

McCulloch, from Lochgelly, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court after admitting that between September 2 2014 and May 13 2017 at North Street, Lochgelly, he stole £13,452.74.

Depute-fiscal Jamie Hilland said Mrs McCulloch had been granted guardianship of her mother’s affairs and was “appalled” and “shocked” when she was told of the large sum outstanding.

There had been no response to bills sent to their home and she said: “There must have been a mix-up with the address”.

Defence solicitor Elaine Buist said the sum involved had now be repaid.

However, after reading the social work report, Sheriff Charles MacNair said he was not impressed by McCulloch’s attitude to the matter.

“He was deliberately, over a long period of time, removing money from a bank account, which he had no business doing,” said the sheriff.

“It’s just straightforward theft from a bank account,” the sheriff added.

McCulloch was jailed for 230 days.