Court hears Ballymena man who stole over £500 from his mum's bank account is ashamed
A man who stole over £500 from his mother's bank account is ashamed, a court was told.
Martin Joseph Kinnear (54), of Dunvale in Ballymena, admitted theft and fraud by false representation by using his mum's debit card in May and June in 2023. He pleaded guilty at Ballymena Magistrates Court.
A prosecutor said in July 2023 the defendant's mother noticed various amounts from £20 to £170 going missing from her account and she suspected her son, who knew the PIN number, was responsible. The prosecutor said around £500-£600 was taken in total.
A defence solicitor said: "His mother unfortunately has since passed". She passed away in April 2024. He said the defendant acknowledges it was a "mean offence".
"It is a matter of great shame that he did this. He had a drink problem at that particular time. He still remains ashamed that he disgraced himself to his mother and disgraced himself in front of his family.
"He told me he did pay back his mother before her death but he never got to say sorry to her properly and is living with that remorse ever since."
District Judge Nigel Broderick said it was a "mean offence" and it was a "tragic situation in so far as your mother sadly passed away and in those circumstances you have told your solicitor that you didn't get the opportunity to apologise to her. That no doubt, from your perspective, remains a matter of significant regre t."
The defendant was given a five months jail sentence, suspended for one year.