A ‘despicable’ grandson has been jailed after he stole £26,000 of his 97-year-old grandmother’s life savings – while she was lying in hospital.
Justin Cumming, 43, smashed his way into his elderly relative’s home before emptying a safe containing the five-figure sum.
Cumming’s mother discovered the theft when she visited the house in Fraserburgh and found the property “ransacked” and the safe empty.
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Cumming’s grandmother was an inpatient at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on April 3 2021, when the theft occurred.
Her daughter visited the property on April 5 and noticed a handbag on the floor with the contents scattered next to it.
‘Chronic addiction problems’
She walked around the rest of the house, which “looked like it had been ransacked”.
“On the floor, there was an envelope containing £950 which appeared to have been dropped,” Ms Simpson said.
Police were contacted and the point of entry was found to be a small bathroom window that had been smashed, unlocked and opened.
Cumming, a prisoner at HMP Grampian, pled guilty to theft by housebreaking. He also admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin.
A co-accused, Thomas Robertson, 43, of Provost Noble Avenue, Fraserburgh, also admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin, as well as cocaine.
Ms Simpson said police raided Robertson’s home on Provost Noble Avenue on April 9 2021 and found heroin worth up to £1,720 and cocaine worth a maximum of £670.
Theft caused ‘significant problems’ within family
A rucksack was also found with a safe inside containing £12,560 in various envelopes with Cumming’s grandmother’s handwriting on them.
Defence agent Sam Milligan, representing Cumming, said his client had been in a long term relationship until his partner lost her life in “tragic circumstances”.
He said: “It is accepted the very nature of the offence is despicable and no doubt exacerbated by the fact the complainer is his own grandmother.”
Mr Milligan said the theft had caused “significant problems” within the family.
He went on: “Both offences are born of Mr Cumming’s chronic addiction problems.”
The solicitor explained Cumming had abused drugs but had taken steps to address that.
He said that, on his release, if he could get back into employment, “restitution could be addressed”.
Solicitor David Sutherland, representing Robertson, said his client had struggled with drug use over a 20-year period and was not involved in the break-in at the 97-year-old’s home.
He described Robertson as “vulnerable” and said he had been “cuckooed”.
Sheriff Philip Mann described the theft charge as “despicable”, adding the money “no doubt represented life savings for your grandmother”.
He jailed Cumming for a total of 28 months and three weeks, backdated to April 12 last year when he was first remanded in custody.
The sheriff also handed Robertson a two-year supervision order and a curfew for 12 months.
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