No funeral funds: Langlees offender helped herself to £2500 of her dead partner's cash

The man’s ex wife had asked for his wallet and his bank card when he was in hospital, but Suzanne Currie, 43, already had possession of the card and was using it to withdraw cash.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Currie had previously admitted stealing £2500 from her partner after his death between December 8, 2019 and February 5, 2020.

At a previous court appearance Mandy Jones, procurator fiscal depute, said: “The accused had been in a relationship with the owner of the bank card for eight months prior to his death. The witness had asked the accused to provide her with the bank card.

"She was the man’s next of kin and wished to close his bank account."

There was a delay in the back card being handed over and it was found Currie had used it to obtain £2500 from the account. There has been a total of 27 withdrawals from four separate locations and 25 debit card payments were made.

"Two of the transactions were made at Forth Valley Royal Hospital,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “An hour before the the owner of the card was pronounced dead on December 8, 2019.”

Earlier in the year defence solicitor John Mulholland said there was no illegality in what Currie had done prior to the man passing away.

"The reason she had the card was because he gave it to her,” he added.

Mr Mulholland said the person who was looking for the card was the man’s former wife, who had been divorced for him for three years prior to his death, but was still listed as his next of kin.

He added Currie had actually witnessed the assault on the man which resulted in the injuries which caused his death.

“She had been given the card and had been using it prior to the accused being assaulted. Had he not passed away the relationship between he and my client would have continued and she would have continued to have access to his card.

"It wasn’t as if the relationship was coming to an end – there was nothing to indicate this.”

Back in March Sheriff Maryam Labaki Currie on a structured deferred sentence for six months.

Mr Mulholland said Currie had “responded well” to the structured deferred sentence and had not been in any trouble since the offence.

At an earlier appearance Sheriff Alison Michie let it be known she was not in favour of admonishing Currie and instead deferred sentence on her until October 12 to see if she would be fit to carry out unpaid work at that time.

Last Thursday Sheriff Michie noted as a result of Currie’s actions there were no funds left to pay for her dead partner’s funeral costs.

She also took into account Currie, 66 Lomond Drive, Langlees, had successfully completed her six month structured deferred sentence and the fact she was a first offender.

She ordered her to complete 180 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.