A DRUG addict son stole more than £4,860 from his mother’s credit card account - and enrolled on an electrician’s course.

Burnley magistrates were told that Andrew Storr, 31, had been his mother Maureen’s carer when he rifled her Barclaycard Visa account.

Prosecutor Parveen Akhtar said the first that Mrs Storr knew about the matter was when she received a letter from Barclaycard enquiring about late payment fees.

The victim had kept the card in her bedroom drawer and occasionally used the account to shop online, the court heard.

Ms Akhtar said Mrs Storr confronted her son about the missing payments and he immediately confessed.

Later he was arrested and interviewed and admitted he had stolen the card and set up an online bank account, making a number of cash withdrawals on his mother’s card.

The court was told he used the money to pay debts - and for drugs - but had also signed up an electrician’s course at Blackburn College.

Adnan Hanif, defending, said Storr had not committed any offences since 1997 and had co-operated fully with police.

He had apologised repeatedly over the thefts and his mother did allow him to stay over with his two children twice a week.

Storr, of Alkincoats Road, Colne, admitted theft and making a false representation. He was given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was also given six months probation supervision with a six-month drugs rehabilitation order and told to pay £500 compensation.

The court heard that Barclaycard could recover the outstanding money from Storr via a civil case.