Gambler stole mum’s £6,000 life savings

COURT: Dundee woman took bank card belonging to pensioner and used it until account was nearly empty

A desperate punter stole her mother’s bank card and wiped out her life savings in less than a month as she continued losing hundreds of pounds a day.

Lynne Cree stole more than £6,000 from her 82-year-old mother’s Post Office account as she tried to chase her gambling losses.

Daisy Cree broke down when Post Office staff told her she had just £80 left in her account when she thought she had more than £6,000.

Yesterday at Dundee Sheriff Court, Cree, 50, admitted stealing £6,075 from her mother between December 31 2017 and January 23 2018.

Depute fiscal Christine Allan told the court that Cree had moved in with her mother in the city’s Roseburn Gardens during 2017 after her gambling problem led to the breakdown of a relationship.

She said her mother was aware of her problem and had limited trust in her daughter – going so far as taking her handbag into her bedroom each night to hide it.

Mrs Allan said the accused had been given the pin for the bank card so she could help with her frail mother’s shopping.

Sometime later she took the card and began helping herself to cash from machines around the city while her mother spent a period in hospital.

The court was told that on Christmas Eve, the account had £5,342 deposited in it but by the time the theft came to light on January 30, only £80 was left.

Mrs Cree visited to check on her savings at the end of January 2018 and was left “shocked” when staff told her there was less than £100 left in the account.

“She was shocked when she was told by bank staff and began crying and had to be aided by a member of staff,” said Mrs Allan.

“During an interview the accused freely stated she had taken the Post Office card around the end of December 2017. She was aware of the pin having previously done shopping for the complainer.

“The accused stated she had withdrawn several thousand pounds from various ATMs across Dundee over the following month.

“She was extremely tearful during interview and advised that as a result of spiralling gambling debts, she had stolen the money out of desperation.

“She stated she had since admitted her actions to her mother and family and they are attempting to rebuild their relationship and put the incident behind them.”

The court was told that Cree was remorseful for what she had done and had taken steps to give up gambling completely.

“I was thinking I would win it back but it just got further and further,” the accused told police.

Sentence was deferred for social background reports.

“The accused stated she had withdrawn several thousand pounds from various ATMs across Dundee over the following month. CHRISTINE ALLAN, DEPUTE FISCAL