Bo'ness offender pinches £3000 from her gran to pay for her gambling and drug addiction

Leigh Bloomfield, 25, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court having pleaded guilty to embezzling £3000 from her grandmother between December 1, 2021 and January 30, 2022. She also admitted stealing a lap top from her father at an address in Bo’ness on October 20, 2022.

Procurator fiscal depute Eilidh Smith said: “The complainer in the charge is the accused’s grandmother. On occasion she would stay with her grandmother and she would be given her bank card.

"This was to buy household items and it was the sole reason for the card to be used. She was provided with the card and the account details in order to purchase household items and then she would return the items to the complainer.

"Her grandmother began to notice transactions on her bank account she didn’t recognise and began to become suspicious. She confronted the accused, who denied all knowledge.

"The complainer became particularly suspicious in April when the accused didn’t return back to the address. She went to her bank to obtain bank statements and highlighted all the transactions that were not made by herself.”

The amount came to £3000 and police were contacted.

Bloomfield not only targeted her grandmother during this time, she also betrayed the trust of her dad.

"She would stay sometimes with her father and brothers,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “Her father noticed that one of his son’s lap tops was missing and the accused admitted she had taken it to Money Station in Bathgate.”

Sheriff Maryam Labaki asked if Bloomfield had paid any of the money back which she stole from her grandmother and was told Bloomfield’s gran had subsequently died.

Stephen Biggam, defence solicitor, said: “She had a gambling and cocaine addiction. This is the low point that caused her family to give her an ultimatum. She is a first offender and she has dealt with her gambling addiction and cocaine addiction.”

Sheriff Labaki called the case a “very sad state of affairs” and placed Bloomfield, 14 Thirlestane, Bo’ness, on a supervised community payback order for 12 months with the condition she complete 150 hours of unpaid work in that time.