Castlemilk man jailed for stealing cash from sick wife

A husband who embezzled £150,000 from the sick wife he cared for has been jailed for more than two years. Bernard Houston, 53, squandered Peggy’s cash at gaming arcades when she suffered a brain aneurysm - weeks after they married.

When her concerned family questioned the deterioration in her quality of life and changes to her appearance they were told the money was “none of their business”.

Eventually Peggy’s family discovered credit card and loan applications, as well as bank statements in her name that he had “concealed” where she couldn’t reach them.

Houston, from Castlemilk, Glasgow represented himself when he pleaded guilty at the Sheriff Court to embezzling £150,000 between June 2010 and December 2014.

He also admitted a further four fraud charges of obtaining £11,500 in her name, and attempting to get another £200.

Sheriff John McCormick jailed Houston for 27 months for his crimes.

The sheriff said: “These sums were embezzled over approximately four years from your spouse who had suffered an aneurysm, you were her carer.”

He said “standing the abuse of trust” the appropriate sentence was 27 months.

Former care home worker Houston was jailed in 2006 for two months for stealing £2,800 from an 85-year-old with dementia - to gamble with.

Houston and Peggy began a relationship in 2009 and married on May 22, 2010.

Procurator fiscal depute Richard Hill said: “Mrs Houston was employed as a nurse and had substantial savings and assesses including previous investments and was a home owner.

“On June 28, 2010, Mrs Houston suffered a brain aneurysm from which she was hospitalised, entered into a coma and placed on a ventilator.”

She got out on October 15, that year, having regained some “basic functions” including walking and talking.

Houston, who had been unemployed, was her carer from that date onwards for £60 a week.

The court heard Peggy received a payment of £50,376 from the NHS as well as around £1,200 of pension payments a month, directly into her account.

Over the period of the charges, her family became suspicious and believed Houstonwas using her to get money.

They noticed a deterioration in her quality of life with “noticeable changes to her personal appearance and upkeep of her house”.

And they made repeated requests to see bank statements but Houston told them, via his wife, “that the money was one of their business”.

Eventually in December 2015 Houston was taken into hospital and Peggy’s family took the opportunity to help her check her bank statements.

Mr Hill added: “It was discovered that almost all of her funds were gone. They discovered numerous credit card, loan applications and bank statements all in Peggy’s name.

“These documents were concealed in locations that Peggy was unable to physically access due to her previous injury.”

The matter was reported to the police who uncovered that Houston had withdrawn around £150,000 and had transferred £3,815 to his daughter.

When questioned by police he initially denied taking any money then admitted that he had “gambled away” the cash on gaming machines at amusement arcades.

He also said he set up online banking, transferred and withdrew money from Peggy’s accounts and made fraudulent credit card and loan applications in her name.

The banks have repaid around £96,000 of the money to Peggy.

Houston represented himself when he appeared back in the dock and was given the opportunity to give a plea in mitigation or say anything about his crimes, but declined.