A MAN has been jailed for 16 months after he stole nearly £43,000 from his mother, who lives in Stourbridge.

Simon Crutchley, aged 51, of Vallenders Road, Tewkesbury, stole the money between December 2011 and Match 2013.

His 91-year-old mother, who is almost blind and hard of hearing, had not spoke to Crutchley for 12 years but got in touch with him when her health began to deteriorate, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Trevor Meegan, prosecuting, said Crutchley, who was in "significant debt" at the time, soon took control of her finances and when post arrived related to her various bank accounts, he would rip letters up or take them away.

The court heard Crutchley had lost his job, taken out a £40,000 loan, owed £90,000 on credit cards and his mortgage was in arrears.

"Mrs Crutchley was adamant she only gave her son access to one account, containing funds for household bills and payment to her carers, however the defendant transferred money from her other accounts into that account", said Mr Meegan.

He said a total of £ 42,753.79 was taken and added: "She said that money was her life savings."

Blondel Thompson, defending, said Crutchley was ashamed of his actions.

She continued: "When he came back into her life, he put a lot of things in place. She have him money to help him and the children as he had lost his job and his outgoings exceeded his income and he took advantage of her."

Judge Martin Walsh sentenced Crutchley, who is now a self-employed sales rep, to 16 months in prison and said the theft was "a significant breach of trust".