A GREENOCK care worker has been charged with defrauding a pensioner who is more than twice her age — by pretending to be the senior citizen.

Cherylanne Rodriguez, 34, is said to have fleeced the 79-year-old woman by plundering her bank account in order to purchase goods for herself.

It is understood that Rodriguez was working for Greenock-based Cottage Care Services at the time of the alleged deception on 7 September.

A source told the Telegraph that police arrested her at the company’s Jamaica Street premises on 29 October, and this has not been denied by management.

Cottage Care Services director Pat Mooney confirmed: “We are co-operating fully with Police Scotland.”

The company declined to comment further on the matter.

Ms Mooney said: “We have taken legal advice and our solicitor has advised that it would be inappropriate for us to comment on this, as it is a police matter.

“We are sorry that we cannot be of further assistance.”

Cottage Care Services declined to say whether Rodriguez had been suspended, dismissed or disciplined in any way as a consequence of the allegation.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the accused care worker is now facing a second charge of dishonesty.

It is claimed by prosecutors that she stole from a house in Inverkip on 16 September – nine days after she is alleged to have defrauded the pensioner.

The fresh charge alleges that Rodriguez helped herself to a ring at the property in the village’s Findhorn Crescent.

On the fraud matter, the Crown says that she used her alleged 79-year-old victim’s debit card in order to steal from her.

The charge against Rodriguez claims that she pretended to be the woman and the bona fide holder of the card, which is in the pensioner’s name. Rodriguez duped an unwitting supermarket worker and tricked her way to buying store merchandise and fuel for her car, it is alleged.
The Crown says that she carried out the alleged scam at the Morrisons filling station in Greenock’s Rue End Street.

The Crown says Rodriguez presented the bank card as a form of payment and induced a female staff member into processing a single transaction.

The value of the alleged fraud is said to total £37.05.

Rodriguez, of Belville Street, Greenock, has appeared at the town’s sheriff court on separate occasions to deny both the fraud and theft allegations through lawyer Aidan Gallagher.

She is due back in the dock on the fraud matter on 9 February next year, ahead of a trial scheduled for 2 March.

Rodriguez has been ordered to return to court on the theft charge on 23 February, with a trial due to take place at the court on 21 March.