'I'm ashamed of myself': Son stole more than £100,000 from his elderly mum while she was in Leeds care home to fund his addiction to roulette gambling machines

A son plundered his mum's bank account of over £100,000 to fund his addiction to gambling after she went to live in a care home.
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Colin Simpson spent the money on roulette gambling machines and to pay for holidays.

The 61-year-old was jailed for 20 months at Leeds Crown Court after he confessed to a judge: "I'm just ashamed of myself.

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"I was stupid. I was spending £300 a day of my mother's money and £300 of my own money just on machines. I regret everything that I did."

Colin Simpson was jailed for 20 months for stealing more than £100,000 from his mum which he spent on gambling.Colin Simpson was jailed for 20 months for stealing more than £100,000 from his mum which he spent on gambling.
Colin Simpson was jailed for 20 months for stealing more than £100,000 from his mum which he spent on gambling.

Simpson began the offending in March 2015 after his mum went to live in a care home.

The defendant was given her bank card so he could pay for groceries and other personal items for her.

Later that year she sold her home for £120,000. The money was placed in a bank account along with her savings to be used to pay the care home bills.

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It was agreed that Simpson would have power of attorney over his mum's finances but he failed to complete the necessary documentation.

The woman was diagnosed with dementia in 2017.

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The sister confronted her brother about the situation and he admitted not completing the power of attorney forms.

The sister was initially suspicious towards the care home but then suspected her brother of wrongdoing.

She asked to see her mum's bank statements and saw that there was only £17,000 left in her account.

She asked Simpson what had happened to the other £103,000.

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He threw his mum's bank card at her and said: "All you think about is money."

The sister paid the care home fees out of her own money until her mother's death in April 2018.

Simpson and his sister then closed her bank account and were provided with statements.

He then admitted taking money out of the account for his own use.

Over £20,000 had been lost on betting sites.

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Simpson had also withdrawn around £50,000 in cash to pay for direct debits, petrol, holidays and shopping for himself.

The court heard there was £25,000 of outstanding care home fees.

Simpson was interviewed by police and told officers he "went a bit crazy" with his mum's money.

He told officers he "probably" had a gambling addiction and agreed using the money for things his mum would not have agreed to.

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Simpson, of Greystone Mount, Halton Moor, pleaded guilty to theft.

A probation officer told the court how Simpson "made no excuses" for his offending and was ashamed of what he had done.

Simpson said he was on medication for depression and his gambling on roulette machines "got out of control."

Simpson appeared in court without legal representation, saying he could not afford a lawyer.

He told Judge Neil Clark: "I just regret everything I did."

Sentencing Simpson, Judge Clark said: "It was a mean offence in breach of trust on your own mother. You took virtually everything."