Thursday 25 July 2024 10:46 PM
newsonline - A former TV and radio presenter who embezzled £120,000 from her dementia-stricken mother has been jailed for two years and three months.
Ex-STV2 anchor Hayley Matthews, 44, embarked on a lavish spending spree after being made power of attorney for her mother's financial affairs.
Her offending began in 2019, but eventually came to light when other family members questioned the size of Janice Matthews' estate following her death at a hospital care facility in Edinburgh in 2021.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Matthews had initially told her family that her mother's estate was valued at £36,000.
The sum was queried by her sister - who knew her mother had received over £100,000 from the sale of her home - and she applied to the bank for copies of financial statements.
These showed that ATM cash withdrawals had substantially increased between September 2019 and September 2021 when her mum was in hospital.
A subsequent police investigation found Matthews' spending included 371 PayPal transactions totalling £42,763, ATM withdrawals amounting to £38,000, Amazon purchases worth £13,649, a Mulberry handbag costing £1,371, and £5,544 of purchases from the White Company.
The bank statements also showed spending at luxury retailers Harvey Nichols, Kurt Geiger, and Molton Brown.
When Matthews' father, Alistair Matthews, contacted his daughter for an explanation in January 2022, she admitted her deceit.
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During several text exchanges, the accused wrote: "You're right, I've been shocking at handling mum's money and paperwork.
"I've spent what I shouldn't and used money I shouldn't. I wasn't in a very good place when looking after her, but I tried my best."
The matter was eventually reported to Police Scotland.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month, Matthews pleaded guilty to a charge of embezzlement between September 2019 and November 2022.
She returned for sentencing on Thursday.
Sheriff Alison Stirling said custody was the only "appropriate disposal" given the seriousness of the offending, adding that her actions were "deliberate and repeated over a period of more than three years".
"They were not the result of a moment of poor judgment," she said. "They were a series of calculated decisions that demonstrated a clear understanding of right and wrong.
"They had a serious impact on the lives of both your mother and your sister."
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The court heard how in September 2019, Matthews' mother was taken to hospital. Two months later, in November, Matthews was granted continuing power of attorney over her mother's accounts.
In March 2020, Matthews' mother was discharged to Findlay House, a care facility that is part of Eastern General Hospital, Leith, as she could not be cared for at home.
Around the same time, Matthews' father and sister discussed moving her into a care home to improve her quality of life as they knew she had the funds to facilitate it.
Sheriff Stirling highlighted a letter from Matthews' sister, stating: "She is concerned that although the medical staff at Findlay House recommended your mother's transfer to a care home which would have been a more comfortable and calm environment for her, you were reluctant for this to take place.
"Your sister has suffered psychologically when thinking about how your mother was treated.
"She has also suffered financially, because you embezzled money, some of which would have been inherited by her."
Matthews was said to have had no previous convictions and received character references from a cousin and "many" of her friends.
Lynne Barrie, procurator fiscal for Lothian and Borders, said: "Hayley Matthews was placed in a position of family trust to oversee her mother's financial affairs.
"But she abused that responsibility by stealing thousands of pounds and used that money to brazenly fund an extravagant lifestyle.
"This case demonstrates that those who seek to exploit vulnerable victims for their own personal gain will be held to account for their crimes."
Detective Constable Joanne Robertson said it had been an "extremely complex and lengthy investigation".
She added: "Hayley Matthews' family were key to uncovering the embezzlement and I hope that they are afforded some closure by today's verdict."
