A MAN emptied £3,000 from his elderly, blind mother's bank account.

And magistrates have warned un-employed Adrian Clarke that he could be sent to prison after he admitted theft.

Clarke, 31, of Sandbach Drive, Northwich, appeared before Vale Royal Magistrates Court on Wednesday. The court heard how Clarke's 67-year-old mother, who is registered blind, used to give him her cash card so he could withdraw money on her behalf.

But from December 6 to January 8, Clarke withdrew £3,000 for himself - around £100 each time - from his mother's savings account, leaving her more than £200 overdrawn.

'He emptied the account and was arrested and interviewed, admitting all the charges,' said Karen Morgan-Read, prosecuting.

Steve Rogers, defending, said Clarke, had fallen into financial difficulty and had nowhere to live.

Following the death of his step-father in December, he moved into his mother's home with his partner and baby daughter. When his financial problems worsened, he stole the money out of desperation.

Mr Rogers added the offence was 'a breach of trust.'

Chairman John Meredith ordered a pre-sentence report be compiled, and said Clarke could face prison.

'Our guidelines are to impose a custodial sentence, and the seriousness of the case is such that we are considering custody,' he added.

Clarke was released on bail and now faces an anxious wait to see if he will be handed a jail term when he returns to the court for sentencing next month.