A TV and radio star who embezzled £120,000 from her dementia-stricken mother to fund a ‘lavish lifestyle’ has been jailed.
Hayley Matthews, 44, used the cash to splurge on lavish spending sprees which included a £1,300 Mulberry bag, more than £13,600 on Amazon, and shopping at luxury stores such as Harvey Nichols, Kurt Geiger and Molton Brown.
The presenter, who had previously fronted shows for the Scottish National Party and STV, also spent £42,000 on 371 PayPal transactions, ATM withdrawals amounting to £38,000, and £5,500 on purchases from the White Company.
The mother of two stole the money from her mother’s bank accounts between September 2019 and November 2022 while she was the power of attorney for her mother’s financial affairs.
Her illicit scheme was only exposed when other family members questioned the size of Ms Matthews’s estate after she died in a hospital care facility in Edinburgh in 2021.
Hayley Matthews, 44, embezzled £120,000 from her dementia-stricken mother to fund a ‘lavish lifestyle’
The presenter (pictured outside court today) used the cash to splurge on lavish spending sprees which included a £1,300 Mulberry bag, more than £13,600 on Amazon, and shopping at luxury stores such as Kurt Geiger and Molton Brown
Matthews previously drew attention for hosting the SNP ‘s annual conference during the pandemic in December 2020
The unemployed Matthews admitted spending money on luxury goods from Harvey Nichols (stock picture)
The unemployed Matthews pleaded guilty to one charge of embezzlement at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on June 27, and was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison.
Lynne Barrie, procurator fiscal for Lothian and Borders, said: ‘Hayley Matthews was placed in a position of family trust to oversee her mother’s financial affairs.
‘But she abused that responsibility by stealing thousands of pounds and used that money to brazenly fund an extravagant lifestyle.
‘This case demonstrates that those who seek to exploit vulnerable victims for their own personal gain will be held to account for their crimes.’
During the trial, the court heard Matthews, who lives in Edinburgh, had told family members her mother’s estate was valued at £36,000.
However the valuation was queried by her sister, who applied to the bank for copies of her mother’s financial statements.
The mother of two stole the money from her mother’s bank accounts between September 2019 and November 2022 while she was the power of attorney for her mother’s financial affairs
Matthews splashed out £1,300 on a Mulberry handbag
These showed ATM cash withdrawals had substantially increased between September 2019 and September 2021, after her mother Janice Matthews was admitted to hospital.
At an earlier court appearance, prosecutor Nadia Stewart told the court that Janice Matthews was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2019 and suffered from an alcohol addiction leading her to being admitted to hospital on a compulsion order.
Following the subsequent police investigation, the court were shown the bank statements of Matthews’s relentless spending.
It revealed she spent £1,100 on eBay, as well as purchasing items from H&M, Milton Brown, Monsoon Greggs, Deliveroo, Five Guys and Hotel Chocolat.
When Matthews’s father Alistair Matthews contacted her for an explanation in January 2022, she admitted spending large sums for her own financial gain.
During several text exchanges, she wrote: ‘You’re right, I’ve been shocking at handling mum’s money and paperwork.
‘I’ve spent what I shouldn’t and used money I shouldn’t. I wasn’t in a very good place when looking after her, but I tried my best.
The court was told Matthews’ sister ‘analysed the transactions on her mother’s bank accounts’ and after spotting around £100,000 was missing and decided to contact the police
‘I massively over compensated and used money that I shouldn’t have but I tried my absolute best.’
The court was told Matthews’ sister ‘analysed the transactions on her mother’s bank accounts’ and after spotting around £100,000 was missing and decided to contact the police.
She was arrested on January 5 last year and, during an interview, she said she had spent money on hampers at Harvey Nichols for hospital staff and clothes for her partner.
After she was found guilty last month, she was told by the judge to ‘make arrangements’ in her household, which includes her two children, for her absence.
Matthews is a former presenter of the STV2 arts magazine show Live at Five, has worked as a radio presenter with Talk 107, Forth 1 and Real Radio and was a newspaper columnist before resigning last year.
She has also worked alongside Lorraine Kelly on the STV Children’s Appeal live show and has interviewed stars including Jason Donovan, Amy Winehouse, Andy Williams, Nile Rogers and Gary Numan.
Matthews’ appearance at SNP conference (pictured right) was controversial as she had used Twitter to raise doubts over the Covid-19 vaccine and insisted she would not allow her children to take it
Matthews previously drew attention for hosting the SNP‘s annual conference during the pandemic in December 2020.
Her appearance was controversial as she had used Twitter to raise doubts over the Covid-19 vaccine and insisted she would not allow her children to take it.
She shared posts claiming governments were trying to impose a ‘new world order’.
In 2019 Matthews spoke about how after she fell pregnant with her second son her crippling pre-natal depression convinced her she was going to be a terrible mum – and even made her wish she’d have a miscarriage.
She became utterly convinced she would be an unfit mother who was not strong enough to have a baby.
Her feelings became so strong she secretly hoped she’d miscarry, looked into having an abortion and didn’t tell anyone she was pregnant for six months, apart from her partner.