Leeds son blew £40,000 of mum's inheritance on gambling sites and Amazon

Ryan Harrison would use the woman's bank card to buy groceries, but when he moved out of her Roundhay home without warning over Christmas 2020, she became suspicious, Leeds Crown Court heard this week.

When she checked her balance, she found a large chunk of her £103,000 inheritance was missing, having been spent at the online shopping website, Amazon, and bookmakers.

Harrison, now 30, was the only other person had access to her account. Luckily, she was able to cancel the Amazon orders, but it still left her £19,000 out of pocket from the gambling sites.

But on January 6, 2021, she realised six of her rings had been stolen, which were traced to a pawn shop on Roundhay Road. Harrison had pawned them for just £224 a week before. Luckily, they were still at the shop and could be retrieved.

Prosecutor Gareth Henderson-Moore said Harrison, now of Hepworth Avenue, Churwell, Morley, had 17 previous convictions, 10 of which were for dishonesty.

He admitted a charge of fraud by false representation and theft. In a victim impact statement, read out by Mr Henderson-Moore, she said that Harrison had "always felt entitled to take anything that belonged to me" and had burgled her home before and taken two new TV sets.

He had previously turned up at her home shouting and swearing outside and making threats.

Mitigating, Rhianydd Clement said that Harrison had admitted his guilt at the earliest opportunity.

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She said: "He has been quite candid, he turned to drinking and gambling excessively and taking illegal substances as well. He was hanging around with the wrong people. He is deeply ashamed of his actions and wishes to apologise through me to the court and his mother."

She said he had "taken steps come away from alcohol and drugs" and had beaten his gambling issues. She added: "He is trying to get his life back on track."

Judge Richard Mansell KC gave him 20 months' jail, but suspended it for 24 months. He ordered that he undertake 200 hours of unpaid work and complete 15 rehabilitation days.

He was also given a three-year restraining order to keep him away from his mother and her home.