After her sister learned that the former STV and BBC presenter had stolen almost £120,000 from her dementia-stricken mother, the woman was sentenced to more than two years in prison.

Prosecutors claim that Hayley Matthews, who was also well-known for hosting an SNP national conference, exploited her position of authority to "brazenly fund an extravagant lifestyle."

After Janice Matthews's mother passed away in September 2021, suspicions were aroused when she revealed to other family members that her inheritance was only worth £36,000.

Danielle Thomson, Matthews’s sister, obtained copies of financial statements from her mother’s bank and found that thousands had been withdrawn while she was in hospital.

She called the police, and detectives discovered 371 PayPal transactions totalling £46,763, ATM withdrawals amounting to £38,000, and Amazon purchases worth £13,650.

Moreover, Matthews spent her mother's money on a £1,371 Mulberry purse in addition to £5,545 worth of upscale apparel and home goods from The White Company.

Matthews was sentenced to two years and three months in prison at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Matthews held power of attorney over her mother's financial matters.

‘Thefts funded extravagant lifestyle’

Lynne Barrie, the 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.”

The court heard that Matthews’s father, Alistair, had confronted her in January 2022 about the spending.

During text exchanges, Matthews 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.”

Bank statements showed she had also spent her mother’s cash at Harvey Nichols, Kurt Geiger, Molton Brown and Marks & Spencer.

Matthews has also previously worked for BBC Radio Scotland and was a newspaper columnist for the Edinburgh Evening News.

She had worked alongside Lorraine Kelly and interviewed celebrities such as Amy Winehouse and Jason Donovan.

Last month, she pleaded guilty to embezzlement, between September 2019 and November 2022. She returned to the dock on Thursday for sentencing.

Sheriff Alison Stirling told Matthews she had been in “a position of trust” and said her behaviour has had “a serious impact” on her family.

She added: “Custody is the only appropriate disposal. Your actions were deliberate and  repeated over a period of more than three years.”

Kieran Clegg, defending Matthews, said his client admitted her spending had been “selfish and extravagant” and had offered “very little in the way of explanation”.