Mother forced to beg for food after cruel Leeds son spent her cash on booze and cocaine

Daniel Wilson frequently attacked the vulnerable woman, smashed up her home, stole her dogs and urinated on the floor during a campaign of terror. The 33-year-old had split up from his partner in July 2021 and was allowed to move into his mother’s home on Cavalier Mews in Leeds.

Prosecuting the case at Leeds Crown Court, Fen Greatley-Hirsch said he would become aggressive towards her, especially in drink and after taking cocaine, and threaten her. He later took her bank card and began withdrawing her regular disability benefit payments before “disappearing for days” and spending it all on booze and drugs.

Taking full control of her finances, he would buy her groceries, but never enough to keep her going until the next payment or what she asked for. She would be forced to rely on handouts from her neighbours. He also failed to pay her rent and an eviction notice was served, which she is still trying to resolve.

In December of last year, a neighbour finally intervened and changed her bank details for her to prevent Wilson from withdrawing the money. He then returned home drunk one evening and urinated in the hallway.

She tried to usher him out of the house but in a rage he grabbed her and began punching and kicking her. She was able to flee and raised the alarm with neighbours, while Wilson “smashed up” her property, including a TV and a coffee table and left, taking her dogs with him. He was later arrested but said he could not remember what had happened.

In a heartfelt victim impact statement read to the court, his mother said: “I have done everything for Daniel over the years and the only person who stood by him. I allowed him into my address but nothing was ever enough.

"He left me for days at a time with no food. I know I will never get the money back but I do not want Daniel anywhere near me or my dogs.”

Wilson, of St Hilda’s Crescent, Cross Green, admitted actual bodily harm and coercive control. He has 18 convictions for 41 previous offences. He is already a serving prisoner for a previous conviction. Little mitigation was offered by his barrister Ian Hudson, after the judge, Recorder Anthony Hawks indicated he would not be sending him into custody.

He told Wilson: “Anybody who has listened to your behaviour towards your mother would be appalled. This was you own mother. If you had not been locked up for the last six months you would go to prison today.”

Instead, he gave Wilson a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, ordered him to enrol in the Building Better Relationships programme and handed him 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He also made him the subject of a restraining order to keep him away from his mother and her address. That will last for five years.