A pair of heartless twins who raided their grandparents’ bank account while pretending to care for them still haven’t paid back the money they stole three months after appearing in court.
Clair and Louise Smith took Crawford and Marlene Pirrie’s bank card so they could “run errands” for the elderly couple, but withdrew £8,000 for themselves.
After the theft was discovered, the scheming twins ended up in court but avoided a jail sentence after promising to pay the stolen money back. Sheriff George Jamieson decided against a formal compensation order – accepting that the wrongdoers would follow through on their promise to return the stolen money.
Three months later, Crawford, 73, and his wife Marlene, 75, haven’t seen a penny.
Speaking for the first time about the betrayal, the furious grandparents said they were “ashamed to be related” to the thieving twins.
Crawford, from Irvine in North Ayrshire, told the Daily Record: “Not only have the twins refused to pay the money they stole from us but they haven’t even said sorry.
“They have been acting like they are the victims ever since the court hearing, insisting they haven’t done anything wrong. They know exactly what they did.”
He added: “They are creatures of the lowest form and we are ashamed to be related to them. I just hope karma will only do one day what Sheriff Jamieson failed to do.”
The twins offered to help look after Marlene and Crawford, who had suffered a stroke when they sold their home to downsize in 2018.
Crawford’s daughter, Lyndsey Brown, told how the sisters were occasionally asked to withdraw small sums of money and pick up groceries from the shop.
But when Lyndsey’s husband went to the cash machine for the couple and asked for a receipt, he discovered a huge portion of their savings had vanished.
There had been scores of high-value transactions and the twins were questioned and charged.
The pair initially entered a not guilty plea at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court in January last year before admitting the offence just days before trial in October.
Both admitted using a “bank card belonging to another” to steal money from cash machines in Irvine between September and October 2018.
The solicitor advocate Simon Brown, representing Louise, said she was in a position to pay £100 a month towards the total.
Solicitor advocate Sandy Currie, acting for Clair, said she was “thoroughly ashamed” and also offered to pay up.
Sheriff Jamieson said they appeared “genuinely remorseful” and ordered them to be fitted with electronic tags and abide by a 7pm to 7am curfew for three months.
On the matter of compensation, he told the pair: “That is going to be up to you.”
The court hearings cost the public almost £1300 in legal aid.
Former hairdresser Marlene and ex-engineer Crawford ’s bank refused to refund any of the money as their debit card was given voluntarily to the twins.
The couple have ruled out any hope of seeing their savings again.
Crawford said: “My wife and I are now trying to put our lives back together again with the help of my daughter and son-in-law. I just thank God that we can at least rely on them.”