Sin Bin: Bank of Scotland employee admits raiding accounts of elderly customers

The crimes of Sean Adams, 30, only came to light when the daughter of one of his victims checked her mother’s statement when she was no longer able to look after her own finances.

Esme McKay’s daughter spotted 11 withdrawals of £1,200 made from her mother’s account and the incident was referred to the fraud department.

Investigations uncovered another elderly lady’s account had also been targeted by Adams.

The account were raided between 2012 and 2013 while Adams was working at the Pollokshields branch of the Edinburgh-based bank.

Sentence on Adams, who later resigned, was deferred and his bail continued.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Adams, from Paisley, Renfrewshire, worked as a customer service adviser at the bank in September 2013.

Mrs McKay and her daughter had gone into the branch on Albert Drive to sort her finances out.

Procurator fiscal depute John Bedford told the court: “When checking through the complainer’s listed transactions for the previous three months her daughter noticed 11 withdrawals of £1,200 that appeared to be unexplained.

“Mrs McKay maintained that she had not withdrawn the money.”

The BBC reported that the matter was referred to the bank’s fraud department and an investigation revealed that Adams’ unique access code had been used to process the unauthorised withdrawals.

There was no withdrawal slips archived for the transactions and £1,200 is the maximum Adams could authorise a customer withdrawing without presenting documents or getting approval from a manager.

CCTV from the branch captured Adams, who is from Paisley, at the counter in August 2013 at the time that two transactions were made on Mrs McKay’s account.

He was interviewed and admitted taking money from her account and “giving it away to friends and people he would like to be friends with”, but denied taking money from any other accounts.

Mr Bedford added: “The accused, after making these submissions, became very upset and tearful and told the interviewers various troubling personal details which he seemed to be suggesting had contributed to his behaviour.”

He was suspended at the end of the interview and later resigned.

The court heard checks on other transactions carried out by Adams revealed “a number of similar suspect transactions” on the accounts of a second customer.

Between October 2012 and July 2013 a total of 23 transactions each of £1200 were made on her accounts.

She was able to provide a statement to police that she had no knowledge of the money being taken.

It was said on Adams’ behalf that his mental state was at the root of the offences.

He has signed over his pension to the bank to start repaying the money.