A 57-YEAR-OLD man who stole his widowed mother’s £67,600 savings after she sold her home was jailed for 20 months on (today) Tuesday.

Dennis Davies, who pleaded guilty to theft from Keturah Lewis, aged 76, between December 2014 and August 2017, was told by Judge Timothy Petts that he had been living “well beyond” his means.

The victim’s life-savings, which had been paid into her son’s spare bank account, were “systematically taken from her.”

Judge Petts said Davies was carer for his wife and he also had health issues.

But he declared: "In my view appropriate punishment can only be met by immediate custody. "Over a period of more than two years you systematically emptied your bank account of your mother’s money and spent it with absolutely no prospect of being able to repay it."

Caernarfon crown court heard Davies, of Y Waun, Harlech, had transferred £14,000 to buy a new car which had a personalised number plate. Prosecuting barrister Richard Edwards said Mrs Lewis had sold the house after it fell into disrepair and then rented a home.

The proceeds of the sale were to be used to pay rent and utility bills of about £550 a month. But eventually the widow received a letter from her landlord asking why direct debits had been cancelled.

Mrs Lewis and her daughter visited the defendant. “He sat there staring at the television, repeating there was nothing,” the prosecutor said.

There had been just over £13,000 of authorised transactions but there were other transactions and cash withdrawals for more than £67,000.

“In interview he admitted spending his mother’s money. He said his wife didn’t know what was happening,”

Mr Edwards explained. “He said he was using the money to keep them ticking over. He got carried away.”

The victim felt “awful” her savings had vanished.

Elen Owen, defending, said the theft wasn’t pre-planned.

Davies had to stop work after a massive heart attack.

“Despite the fact he could no longer work he still had substantial financial commitments,” the barrister remarked.

He ended up “succumbing to temptation.”

Counsel said :"It spiralled out of control until the money was all gone.”

She said his wife paid for coach trips and days out.

“There’s no extravagant spending,” the lawyer maintained.

She added :"He feels terrible remorse for what he has done.”