Blackburn man spent mum's heating money on drug habit

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard how the victim did not initially make a complaint to the police, but they became involved when there was a disturbance in the street when the elder brother confronted David Richard Hargreaves.

Hargreaves, 45, of Hamer Avenue, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to theft of £100.

He was fined £120 with £85 costs and £48 victim surcharge.

Susheela Regala, prosecuting, said the elder son was trying to help his mother with her energy bills, and she had asked Hargreaves, who lived with her, to collect the money.

“He collected the money but never returned,” said Miss Regala, "his mum believed he had spent the money on drugs.

"She suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and brittle bone disease.

"She later told police she didn’t deserve to have her money stolen, especially when she was struggling to make ends meet.”

Peter King, in mitigation, said his client had returned the money to his mum and was back living with her.

“When this happened there was no immediate complaint by mum to the police,” said Mr King.

“The complaint only arose a couple of days later when the older brother had an argument with him in the street.

"The police attended and the full story came out and his mum made a statement to the police.”

Mr King said as soon as his client received his next benefits payment he repaid his mum in full.

“Her flat, where he has been allowed to live, is in need of a lot of work and she is being moved to sheltered accommodation in the next few weeks,” said Mr King.

“My client is not able to keep the tenancy.”

Mr King said his client managed his alcohol use out of his benefits.

“There is the occasional foray into the use of controlled drugs which was at the back of this incident,” said Mr King.

“When he was asked to collect this money he had no intention of keeping it.

“It was only when he was in possession of the cash that temptation got the better of him.”