Clackmannanshire woman withdrew dead mother's pension for 20 years

Ruth Munro is facing a jail sentence.

Published 13th Oct 2016

A Clackmannanshire woman who pretended her dead mother was still alive for more than 20 years so she could go on drawing her pension money is facing jail.

Ruth Munro was bereaved in September 1993 when her mum died at the age of 73.

Alloa Sheriff Court heard that Munro's mother, Margaret McPartlin, was a beneficiary of two small occupational pensions, from the British Steel Corporation and drinks giant Diaego, which owns a series of Scottish distilleries.

Between 1993 and May 2015, by which time Mrs McPartlin would have been 94, Munro pretended to administrators of both pension schemes that her mum was still living.

Munro, now herself a 67-year-old gran, of Tullibody, pleaded guilty to defrauding the pension schemes out of £18,577, by inducing them to continue to make payments in the belief that Mrs McPartlin was still alive.

Sheriff Linda Smith deferred sentence for a criminal justice social work report until November 10th, and ordered Munro to re-appear then.

She said: "I'll continue this for reports to be made available."

Procurator fiscal depute Adrian Fraser did not narrate the facts of the case. It is expected that this will be done at the adjourned hearing, when Munro's solicitor, Jay Goodwillie, will outline mitigating circumstances.