A care home nurse stole bank cards from two residents to fund a shopping spree worth nearly £1,000.
Sharon Gillan was a senior nurse at Havencourt Nursing Home in Stonehaven when she fell into financial difficulties.
To ease her troubles, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard she stole two bank cards – including one belonging to a 98-year-old resident.
She then splashed out in various shops in Stonehaven, Portlethen and Newtonhill, running up a bill of more than £880.
Fiscal depute Christy Ward said that the first’s victim’s family quickly noticed the suspicious activity on the 77-year-old’s account and raised the alarm with the bank.
Gillan, 58, of Macdonald Road, Stonehaven, yesterday admitted stealing the pensioner’s card and spending £735.73 at at Semi-Chem, the Co-op, Farmfoods, Asda, Matalan, B&M and Tesco between September 25 and October 3 last year.
She also admitted stealing the 98-year-old’s card and splashing out on £144.27 worth of goods from similar shops.
Ms Ward said that the second victim’s children became concerned after their father’s bank card went missing.
She said: “On November 6, his daughter visited him at the care home.
“On November 7, his son checked his father’s account and all was in order that time.
“On November 11, his daughter visited again and found that her father’s bank card was missing and contacted her brother. He checked the account and saw two contactless transactions.
“There were a further five contactless transactions.”
Police were called in to investigate, and pulled CCTV from some of the shops the cards were used – identifying Gillan at Semi-Chem and the Co-Op.
Care home manager Shirley Sutherland confirmed Gillan had been acting suspiciously, asking questions after the police had been at the home.
Gillan was suspended the next day.
Sheriff Ian Wallace described the crime as a “very serious matter” and deferred sentence for reports. The case will call again next month.
