Man stole £50k care cash of mum-in-law

A GAMBLING addict who stole the £50,000 his mother-in-law had earmarked to pay for her residential care has been jailed.

Mark Holmes, 49, withdrew the money from the 79-year-old’s account after she sold her property in Leeds, a court heard.

After betting away the money, Holmes left his wife a note saying he had gone to kill himself. Just £30 was left in the account when police found him on the east coast.

Holmes, of Castleford, West Yorkshire, admitted theft at Leeds Crown Court.

John Bull, prosecuting, said Holmes’s widowed mum-in-law moved into a care home in 2014. Holmes and his wife were trusted to manage proceeds of the sale of her home to pay for her care. But Holmes withdrew £51,781 over seven months.

Jailing him for 10 months, recorder Ray Singh said: “That was your selfish greed.”