Karen Lawrence, 66, previously pleaded guilty at Ayr Sheriff Court to forming a fraudulent scheme to swindle her husband John out of almost £100,000.

Lawrence, of Kilmarnock, called a mortgage firm and a pension company to illegally obtain a total of £99,659.

But evidence showed she adopted a male voice during those calls to fool staff into believing she was her husband.

On 31 March 2026, at the same court, Lawrence was given a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody and placed under supervision for two years.

She was also made subject to a six-month Restriction of Liberty Order from 8pm to 6am and ordered to perform 300 hours of unpaid work within 12 months. 

A 10-year Non-Harassment Order, banning Lawrence from contacting or attempting to contact the victim, was also imposed. 

In her defence, Lawrence claimed she stole the money because she was the victim of a fake online romance fraudster to whom she sent the money.

Anne Marie Hicks, procurator fiscal for North Strathclyde, said: “Karen Lawrence committed a serious betrayal of trust in deceiving her husband. 

“She went to extreme and elaborate lengths to fraudulently obtain significant amounts of money which did not belong to her.

“As prosecutors, we understand the impact on victims of this type of offending and are fully committed to tackling financial crime of this kind.”