Otley man Andrew Oliver stole from his family to feed a drug habit, a Court heard.

Twenty-year-old Oliver, of Caxton Road, admitted stealing a cheque and forging his brother's signature for cash to pay off drug debts.

Pudsey Magistrates Court was told how Oliver broke into his brother's cupboard while he was working in Plymouth and stole one cheque from his book.

Teresa Hughes, prosecuting, said the crime was discovered when Robert Oliver tried to withdraw money from his account.

"He could not get £50 because he had insufficient funds. He was surprised by this because he thought he had about £300 in the account.

"When he printed off some details he found that £250 had been withdrawn without his knowledge. Money had been taken out using a cheque and he found one was missing from his book."

The fact that the book was only kept at his Otley home implicated a member of Mr Oliver's family, said Mrs Hughes. Police were called in and Andrew Oliver admitted taking the cheque and signing a sum of £250 in his brother's name. He also took £100-worth of CDs from his brother's room.

Mrs Hughes said: "He said it was to pay off debts in relation to his drug habit."

Magistrates adjourned sentencing for reports on Oliver by the West Yorkshire Probation Service until February 6. He was granted unconditional bail.

Chairman of the bench David Tempest warned: "I am going to ask the authorities to consider every sentencing option, including custodial."

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