Leeds addict banned from his calling his mother pestered her for cash saying he would 'risk jail'

Steven Nicholson had only been released from custody for breaching a restraining order to keep him away from his long-suffering mum, before he started pestering her again.

Prosecutor Hafsah Hussain told Leeds Crown Court that he rang the woman or sent text messages 15 times over a period of two weeks and told her: “I will have to the do the five years’ (jail), I’ve got no money.”

The 36-year-old, of Clara Street, Farsley, had been given the order to not contact his mother and not visit her home in Gildersome. After being arrested he admitted contacting her and was aware of the terms of the order.

Appearing in court via video link from HMP Leeds, he admitted breaching the order. Mitigating, Jemima Stephenson said: “He was released from prison and found himself in a very bad place. He has a long-standing drug problem.

“He had nobody to turn to so turned to his mum. It’s a natural reaction when in quite a desperate place. He realises now that he does not want o get longer and longer sentences.”

She said he was working with drugs counselling service, Forward Leeds, and was now clean.

Jailing him for 10 months, Judge Andrew Stubbs KC said: “You are in such a terrible place that your mum had to get a court order. How terrible it must be for her for you to put her in that position.”