Con artist sex offender stole from elderly and vulnerable men in Camelon area

Sheila Reid, 34, appeared from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having admitted theft and sexual offences at various address in the Camelon area.

She stole £70 from one man on December 31, 2021 and also removed her top, made sexual remarks, repeatedly hugged him and kissed him without his consent on January 3, 2022.

On another occasion she stole two television sets and a pair of expensive Doc Marten boots from another man living in the Bainsford area on April 21, 2022.

The court heard Reid would target particularly vulnerable men – most of them in their 60s. She would come up to them in the street or simply wander into their homes.

Procurator fiscal depute Bernadette Cuthbertson said: “The complainer was sitting alone in his living room. He had left his front door open due to it being a warm day. The accused was standing in the living room and asked to charge her phone.

"She then asked for a glass of wine. He told her he didn’t really drink and didn’t have any wine, but he did have a bottle of sherry from Christmas. She drank the sherry in one go and collected her mobile phone before leaving.”

The resident later discovered his wallet was missing – along with the £70 within it.

Reid returned on another occasion wearing a pyjama top and asked the man for something to wear. She took her top off and was not wearing a bra – the man looked away and she told him he did not need to look away.

She then took hold of his wrists and placed his hands on her breasts before sitting on his knee.

"She said ‘I want to have sex with you’,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “He told her he didn’t want to have sex with her.”

One of her more vulnerable victims actually believed she loved him and told his carers he had fallen in love with her, calling her his girlfriend. He ended up having his Doc Marten boots and his television set stolen.

Reid was said to have met one man on the street and pestered and hounded him, effectively dragged him away, saying she was taking him to see her friend.

The court heard Reid was referred to as a “con woman” who tried to gain people’s trust, then stole from them to fund her drug habit.

Almost all of the offences involved someone who was either elderly or particularly vulnerable.

Sheriff Charles Lugton noted Reid, address listed as HM Edinburgh Prison, had spent a considerable time on remand for the offences.

He added: “These offences involved manipulative and dishonest behaviour against vulnerable people.”

He placed her on a supervised community payback order for two years and made her subject to the reporting criteria of the sex offenders register for the same period.