The son of a great-grandmother who had cash stolen from her trusted hairdresser says her spirit was broken since the thefts.
Elaine Long, 47, from Blackhorse Grove, North Circular Road, avoided jail last week after using 89-year-old Bernie Clarke's bank card to withdraw cash and book flights.
The court had heard how the hairdresser, who began calling to Bernie's home to cut her hair, used the seriously ill pensioner's card to take out €500 in cash as well as book flights to Liverpool.
She was given 240 hours community service after pleading guilty to five counts of theft with a total of €924 "proven" to be stolen.
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Bernie, who has since passed away, had her trust "shattered" by Elaine according to her son Bernard who told The Sunday World the family were alerted when they noticed the card being used for petrol despite Bernie never driving "a day in her life."
He said: "Our duty to her memory is to let her know that we fought this to the end. She was robbed by Elaine Long, whom she trusted.
"My mother was devastated when this happened. She was very upset. The big issue was the trust. She felt she knew this woman for 20 to 25 years and this is what happens.
"When you're old you're vulnerable and when you're ill you're even more vulnerable. When you see someone take advantage of that that's the really sad part.
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"She didn't apologise when caught. She told lies and denied everything, but she kept tripping herself up. She made a fool of herself in the end and eventually gave in and admitted it."
He also said he didn't feel the apology in court had any meaning to it and that she never expressed any remorse to the family personally.
