A MUSSELBURGH carer has been found guilty of stealing almost £46,000 from two vulnerable pensioners.

Margo Alongi took bank cards belonging to Betty Lynch, 78, and Roy Scott, 68, after she offered to help with their shopping needs.

But the care worker used the cards to raid the accounts of the two OAPs and use the money for herself.

A trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how Alongi stole £43,600 from frail Ms Lynch and a further £2,350 from cerebral palsy sufferer Mr Scott between May 2010 and January 2014. Both victims have since passed away.

The court was told that the thefts came to light after Ms Lynch died and her family went through her bank statements and discovered a series of suspicious withdrawals.

The police were alerted and the thefts from Mr Scott were then also uncovered.

Alongi, of Clayknowes Drive, claimed that a diary she had kept proved she was innocent, as Mr Scott had signed each entry concerning withdrawals.

But two handwriting experts told the court that they agreed the signatures did not belong to Mr Scott.

Alongi, 54, had denied both charges but was found guilty by a jury’s majority decision following a 10-day trial at the Capital court last week.

Sheriff Fiona Tait deferred sentence to November 25 for the preparation of reports and Alongi was released on bail.