A retired cop embezzled £30,000 from his dying father, spending it on personal items and concert tickets instead of caring for him
Paisley: A retired police officer, James Kelly, did something shocking. He stole £30,000 from his dying dad’s account. His father was in the hospital, and Kelly was supposed to look after him.
Instead, he spent the money on himself. He bought clothes, CDs, and even concert tickets. Can you believe that? He was trusted to manage his father’s finances but took advantage of that trust.
Kelly was appointed as his father’s guardian because his dad had dementia. He was living in a care unit at Dykebar Hospital. The court thought Kelly would protect his father’s money, but he did the opposite.
When the bank statements were reviewed, they found suspicious cash withdrawals. It turned out he had taken out a lot of money over several months. The total came to a staggering £30,000.
During a review, Kelly admitted to withdrawing large sums from ATMs, especially at Braehead Shopping Centre. He claimed he was buying things for his father, but it was mostly for himself.
He even said he was depressed and acted compulsively. But that doesn’t excuse what he did. The police got involved, and now he faces serious consequences.
His defense lawyer mentioned that Kelly knows he might go to jail. He spent the money on himself and his family, but now he lives alone after his second marriage ended.
The sheriff expressed concern about the large amount of money involved. She decided to delay the sentencing to look into Kelly’s financial situation further. He’ll be back in court next month.
