A 34-YEAR-OLD woman faced with eviction stole her disabled mum’s bank card and used it to withdraw cash from her account on the day her disability living benefits were paid in.

Blackburn magistrates heard the offence was in breach of a high degree of trust and had resulted in the mother asking for a restraining order prohibiting Sheila Moreland from contacting her.

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Moreland, of Gordon Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to theft of a bank card and £250. She was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered to complete a nine months alcohol treatment order and 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement.

She was also ordered to pay £250 compensation and made subject to a restraining order for 12 months under which she is prohibited from contacting her mother, Patricia Lynn or entering Carlinghurst Road, where she lives.

Enza Geldard, prosecuting, said Mrs Lynn had contacted her bank to see if her disability money had been paid in. She was told it had but £100 had been withdrawn in the early hours from and ATM outside Mill Hill Post Office and another £150 from a machine at Tesco. She discovered her bank card was missing and immediately suspected her daughter and the matter was reported to the police.

When she was arrested Moreland initially denied taking the card and tried to implicate others.

“She told police that her brother and sister also knew the Pin number and had withdrawn money for their mother in the past,” said Mrs Geldard. “She deliberately cast suspicion on others.”

Ian Huggan, defending, said his client had started drinking after losing a child to sudden infant death syndrome when she was young.

She had been a volunteer in patient at the mental health unit after a failed suicide attempt and when she came out of hospital she found herself facing eviction.

“That is what lead to this offence,” said Mr Huggan. “She feels extremely ashamed and embarrassed by her actions and she knows she has to sort things out with her mother.”