Yahoo News Mum told lying son 'I don't know how you can sleep at night'
A callous fraudster plundered his elderly parents' bank accounts and spent their savings on gambling and drugs.
Ian Riddell, 48, raided the accounts of his parents, Jean and John Riddell, over a period of two years, stealing a grand total of £31,547.50. His scheme began to unravel on February 5 2024, when Jean went to the supermarket and found she did not have enough money left to pay for her shopping. She went into Lloyds bank on Cherryfield Drive, Kirkby, where she discovered her account had gone into overdraft, and that there was only £160 left in her husband's account.
She contacted her daughter, Paula Chidlow, who reported what had happened to Merseyside Police. She looked at her mother's online bank account and found a £400 payment had recently been made to Ian Riddell, and that around £12,000 was missing.
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The case appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, April 23. It was said that Paula had "begun to suspect the defendant (her brother) was involved in the money that had seemingly disappeared into thin air". She visited Lloyds with her mother and found out Riddell had taken out a £1,000 loan in Jean's name, had set up an overdraft on her account, and had also applied for a credit card in Jean's name. There had also been a number of deposits into an online betting account, Betfred. In total, the "vulnerable" 73-year-old lost £21,201.51.
He also drained the savings of his father John, 76, who suffered from memory problems. Between July 2023 and January 2024, he made 93 separate bank transactions, stealing a total of £10,3454.99.
The devastating loss led to the elderly couple struggling to afford gas, electricity and food. They were inundated with letters about unpaid bills and were forced to rely on their daughter for financial support.
Jean later confronted her son, telling him: "I don't know how you can sleep at night after what you have done to us." Riddell, of Rice Lane, Fazakerley, responded: "I'm sorry, it wasn't me, it was the demon of my addiction." He told her he would turn himself in to the police.
Oliver Saddington, prosecuting, said: "In interview the defendant admitted taking money from both his parents and said it occurred over a 15 month period using Jean's online banking to send himself money from her account, and he set that application up on his own phone so he had complete access to her account. He further stated he would take his dad's bank card from the house to get cash and he had lied to his mum about what it was for. He laughed during the interview when discussing this and said he would lie and manipulate his mother."
He pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud.
Ben Berkson, defending, said: "These offences strike at the heart of the criminal justice system and demonstrate a breach of trust, characterised by the defendant's selfishness. But these offences were brought about by maladaptive behaviours caused by a relapse into class A drug addiction and a gambling habit, which led to the defendant thinking only of himself, rather than the legal consequences and, more importantly, the consequences for his family.
"The grip of drug abuse can be powerful and it can override morals. There are people who don't beat it soon enough. It can be no excuse. But the defendant is assisted by the prompt admissions and guilty pleas. There are other sides of the defendant's character. There are references that speak of an ability to engage, an ability to change, and a motivation to help himself and others."
Sentencing, Judge David Aubrey said: "Both victims were your own mother and father, and in effect you bled their accounts dry. The offences were planned... and they occurred over a protracted period of time. Your father was either showing the early signs of dementia or had memory issues, but I'm satisfied - because your mother was described as being 'confused' - that both your parents were vulnerable.
"You applied for a credit card loan and overdraft in your mother's name and made withdrawals from her account. You plundered that account and by the time these despicable and mean offences were discovered her account was overdrawn by £749.44. She is, in effect, now penniless. All her savings are gone, as are the majority of her husband's - your father's.
"You made numerous ATM withdrawals. There are 93 transactions that you completed from both accounts. Both now suffer from financial hardships and these offences, targeting your own vulnerable parents, occurred over a sustained period. There was also an element of sophistication involved. You used your mother's online banking to send yourself money from her account. You had set up that app on your own phone. Her bank account was literally in your dishonest hands."
He sentenced Riddell, of Rice Lane, Fazakerley, to three years in prison, and made a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting his parents.
