Thief who stole from mother walks free despite being jobless (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Middlesbrough thief walks free after mother's plea

3:48pm Friday 1st March 2013 in News By Neil Hunter

A THIEF threatened with prison unless he could prove a suspicious job offer walked free from court today (Friday, March 1) - even though he has no work.

Neil Marron was warned on Monday he would be locked up for pilfering his mother's bank accounts - stealing thousands of pounds his late father had left.

He was given a reprieve after his lawyer told a judge at Teesside Crown Court that the jobless 35-year-old had a factory job to start after a training course.

The judge, however, warned the former used car salesman he did not believe the work offer was genuine and said if it was untrue he would be locked up.

Today, (Friday, March 1) solicitor Rachel Dyson admitted that Marron had no job guarantee, but had believed he did as he was registered with an employment agency.

She said it was "a misunderstanding" adding that  Marron - who once quit a job to go self-employed as a courier - was keen to work to repay the money.

The court heard how he stole £17,660 from his mother Margaret's accounts last year after sneaking away her cash card and hiding statements.

When confronted, Marron, of Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, was said to have shown no remorse and told his mother: "The money was mine, any way."

Marron, who admitted theft at an earlier hearing before magistrates, told police he had been buying cars to make money, but failed, and had racked up £30,000 of debts.

A letter from his mother asked for her son to be spared jail and said he had "gone off the rails" after his father's death.

Miss Dyson told Judge Peter Bowers: "He understands the impact this has had, not just on his mother, but his wider family. He is upset about that."

Marron was given a community order with supervision for two years, ordered to go on an alcohol treatment course and do 300 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Bowers told him: "Your mother has forgiven you because she has come to court to beg me not to send you to prison.

"Your problem for the future is gong to be rebuilding trust with your mother and your wider family." 

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