A former STV presenter has been jailed for two years for stealing £120,000 from her mother while she suffered from dementia.
Hayley Matthews, 44, used the money to buy luxury items including a handbag and cosmetics after being given power of attorney over her mother’s financial affairs
She was found out after family members queried the value of Janice Matthews’ estate after her death in September 2021.
Matthews admitted embezzlement between September 2019 and November 2022 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Matthews previously presented programmes on STV and Forth One and wrote a weekly column for the Edinburgh Evening News.
During her trial, the court heard that Matthews, of Edinburgh, had told family members her mother’s estate was valued at £36,000.
However, that was queried by her sister, who applied to the bank for copies of her mother’s financial statements.
These showed ATM withdrawals had substantially increased between September 2019 and September 2021, after Janice Matthews was admitted to hospital.
A police investigation found Hayley Matthews’ spending included PayPal transactions totalling £42,000, ATM withdrawals of £38,000, Amazon purchases worth £13,000, a Mulberry handbag costing £1,300, and £5,500 of purchases from the White Company.
The bank statements also showed spending at retailers including Harvey Nichols, Kurt Geiger and Molton Brown.
In text exchanges with her father, Alistair, in January 2022, Matthews admitted spending large sums of the estate for her own gain.
She wrote: “You’re right, I’ve been shocking at handling mum’s money and paperwork.
“I’ve spent what I shouldn’t and used money I shouldn’t. I wasn’t in a very good place when looking after her, but I tried my best.”
Lothian and Borders procurator fiscal, Lynne Barrie, said: “Hayley Matthews was placed in a position of family trust to oversee her mother’s financial affairs.
“But she abused that responsibility by stealing thousands of pounds and used that money to brazenly fund an extravagant lifestyle.
“This case demonstrates that those who seek to exploit vulnerable victims for their own personal gain will be held to account for their crimes.”
