A serial swindler who posed as an Amazon delivery driver to scam a 90-year-old Crieff woman has been ordered to wear an electronic tag.
Tomasz Lacki tricked pensioner Rhona Gibson into handing over cash for a neighbour’s parcel.
The nonagenarian told Perth Sheriff Court how she felt “foolish,” but explained she had never used the online retailer and did not know all costs were paid up-front.
Lacki, 38, was found guilty after trial of defrauding Mrs Gibson and 67-year-old Simon Barnes in April last year.
The former care worker, who was previously jailed for stealing from vulnerable pensioners in Crieff and Perth, appeared from custody for sentencing this week.
Solicitor Paul Ralph explained his client, who is from eastern Europe, had become a victim of Brexit.
Slipping through the cracks
Sheriff Francis Gill told Lacki: “The court takes this type of offence very seriously.
“Your conduct would have caused both witnesses a great deal of concern and worry.
“I do accept that you have taken responsibility for this offence.”
Lacki, of Murrayfield Loan, Crieff, was placed on a curfew and ordered to wear a tag as part of a three-month restriction of liberty order.
He was also placed on supervision for a year and urged to take steps to address a drug addiction.
A warrant was issued for Lacki’s arrest last week when he failed to turn up at court.
Mr Ralph, defending, told the court his client had simply got his dates mixed up.
He said: “Mr Lacki is in danger of falling through the cracks in the system.
“His benefits were suspended since his immigration status became unclear as a result of Brexit.”
Mr Ralph said: “He has battled addictions on and off over the years.”
Lacki also pleaded guilty to stealing a £35 bottle of gin from Marks and Spencer’s in Perth on August 24.
He will be sentenced for that on January 25.
The neighbourly thing to do
Mrs Gibson told a trial at Perth Sheriff Court that she had been at her home in Strathearn Court “doing general chores” when Lacki rang her bell.
“He told me that he had to deliver a parcel to one of the neighbours.
“He said there was £10 to pay on it.”
“I understood that it was an underpayment on the postage or the goods, he didn’t say precisely.”
Describing Lacki as “quite pleasant looking and not aggressive in any way,” she handed over the cash.
“I thought it was the neighbourly thing to do,” she said.
Lacki also tricked Mr Barnes into handing over £10 in a similar way.
