Man whose drug addiction began with painkillers robbed his own mother's bank card

Robert Bownes, 35, used his mother's card to take £500 from her bank account. He had earlier stolen jewellery and tools from her home in Bridgnorth.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court on Monday Bownes, whose last address was Little Henfaes Drive, Welshpool, was jailed for a total of 21 months by Judge Peter Barrie.

The judge heard how his mother felt disturbed and bereaved" by her son's behaviour.

Bownes admitted stealing jewellery and power tools belonging to Jackie Powell between September 10 and 11, 2022 in Bridgnorth, robbing a mobile phone and bank card from her on October 13, 2022 and committing fraud by withdrawing £500 using the card in Bridgnorth on October 13, 2022.

The court was told that in the weeks leading to the offences Bownes continuously harassed his mother for money to buy drugs.

After he stole the jewellery and tools she told him to leave but gave him her car to sleep in.

However he returned to the house demanding money and asking to be let in.

At about 7pm on October 13 he got into the house where his mother and brother lived.

He held her wrists and rooted around in her pocket, taking her phone and bank card, then pushed her away.

His brother smashed the car window to try and prevent him leaving but he still drove off and withdrew £500 from her bank.

Police traced the car and Bownes was arrested.

Mr Robert Edwards, speaking for Bownes in court, said his client's problems began when he injured himself at work and was prescribed strong painkillers, to which he became addicted.

When the doctor stopped the prescription he then used his mother's painkillers and when they all went, he progressed to illegal drugs.

Mr Edwards said Bownes had been on remand in prison for the past five months and was still struggling to come to terms with what he had done to his mother.

He had used the time in prison to work on his drug addiction with a course set by Narcotics Anonymous.

Judge Barrie said it was not Bownes' fault that he had become addicted to the painkillers but said he should have sought help for the addiction.

"When you took your mother's phone and bank card, you tussled with her and in doing so a mirror came off the wall and smashed. You then left with her car and took money from her bank account," the judge said.

He ordered that when Bownes was released on licence from prison he would be on a 12-month supervision order.