Jailed, carer who plundered £46k of OAPs’ savings
A CARER who stole almost £46,000 from the bank accounts of two vulnerable pensioners has been jailed for two years.
Margo Alongi had offered to help frail Elizabeth Lynch and Roy Scott with their shopping but instead used their cash cards to systematically plun- der their accounts over a period of nearly four years.
Alongi, 54, of Musselburgh, East Lothian, denied two charges of defrauding £43,600 from Miss Lynch, 78, who suffered from cerebral palsy, and £2,350 from 68-year-old Mr Scott.
Both her victims, who lived in Musselburgh, have since died. Alongi claimed she had only used the pensioners’ cards to make transactions on their behalf but was found guilty of helping herself to their savings at trial.
Returning to Edinburgh Sheriff Court for sentencing yesterday, she was told by Sheriff Fiona Tait: ‘The nature of these offences and the sums which were involved in defrauding two elderly people – each of whom was vulnerable for different reasons and you were entrusted with their care – means I am not persuaded there is an alternative to custody.’
The court previously heard that the mother of five’s crimes between May 2010 and January 2014 were exposed after Miss Lynch’s death. Her niece Lynn Harrison, who was acting as her executor, went through her aunt’s bank statements and spotted a series of suspicious withdrawals.
After she noticed that three £300 withdrawals were made in February 2011 alone, Mrs Harrison alerted police.
She told officers Alongi had suggested to her aunt it would be a good idea for her to have access to a cash card.
Detectives also spoke to Mr Scott, who confirmed he had asked a number of his carers to
‘Entrusted with their care’
take his card and withdraw £20-£30 for him for groceries.
Carers were required to produce receipts for Mr Scott to sign and lodge it with their employers, but only Alongi agreed to have access to his money. Detective Constable John Fortune told the court Alongi had produced a diary of transactions purporting to have been signed by Mr Scott.
But Mr Scott told him: ‘I never requested these withdrawals and the signature is definitely not mine.’
Two handwriting experts examined the diary and agreed the signatures were not his.
Defence solicitor Emma Templeton told the court Alongi was a first-time offender and that the case had devastated her family, especially her five daughters who have been abused on social media.
After the hearing, Mrs Harrison said Miss Lynch’s family were ‘more than relieved’ that justice had been done.