A DRUG addict who stole some of his own mum’s medication while he was staying at her home has been sentenced to 14 months in prison.

Bradford Crown Court heard that 25-year-old Michael Hughes had a series of previous convictions for harassing his mother and breaching restraining orders imposed to stop him from contacting her or going to her address.

Prosecutor Gareth Henderson-Moore said Hughes was released from another jail sentence on September 18 this year and he went straight to his mother’s home for a shower.

Mr Henderson-Moore said Hughes was allowed to stay and there were no issues to begin with because the defendant had some money of his own.

But when it ran out Hughes began to ask his mother for money and when she refused he punched an internal door causing damage to a wall.

At one point Hughes stole 100 tablets from his mother’s prescription medication and on another occasion he sent her a text asking for £50.

Mr Henderson-Moore said Hughes stayed at the property for about 10 days, but the complainant finally contacted the police after she could no longer tolerate his behaviour.

He said the complainant had allowed Hughes to stay, but the defendant had taken advantage of her efforts to help him.

The court heard that Hughes, of Kelmore Grove, Bradford, had 40 convictions on his record for more than 70 offences and he was jailed again after he admitted charges of breaching the restraining order, theft, and criminal damage.

Barrister Jessica Heggie, for Hughes, conceded that he had an appalling record for a young man of his age and said he had spent far too much of his life in custody.

She said that drugs were at the root of his offending and she submitted that the court could consider an exceptional course that would include a drug rehabilitation requirement as part of a community order.

Miss Heggie said the probation service had indicated that they could manage the defendant in the community and it would be an opportunity to break the cycle of offending.

But Recorder Patrick Palmer outlined details of Hughes’ previous offences of harassment and breaches of the restraining order and he noted that the defendant had been subject to post-sentence supervision when he immediately went to his mother’s home.

“I accept of course that all these offences were committed because you were addicted to drugs over many years and it was money for drugs you would seek to obtain by one means or another,” said the judge.

The judge imposed a new three-year restraining order to protect the complainant which Hughes must abide by until December 2026.