A 56-year-old man has been convicted of abusing his elderly mother. He stole from her and caused her significant distress while living with her after being released from prison.
Oldham: This is a shocking story about a man named Darren Mayman. He moved back in with his 78-year-old mother after getting out of prison.
At first, it seemed like a temporary arrangement. But things quickly took a dark turn. He started abusing her, stealing her wedding rings, and using her bank account without permission.
He played loud music, drank heavily, and even took drugs. His behavior was unpredictable, and he verbally abused her. He even told her to choose between him and her husband.
Things got worse when he influenced her to put her husband in a care home. He was controlling and nasty, telling her she should move into one too.
When he sold his house, he put the money in her account. But he refused to open his own account, which caused her to lose her pension money. He also took her bank card and ordered stuff for himself.
Over three years, he made her life miserable. He dumped trash outside her room, making it hard for her to get in. She ended up sleeping on a tiny sofa.
He would shout at her and even expose himself to her friends. He carried knives around, which scared her. She felt isolated and frightened.
He stole her wedding rings and a silver cake slicer that was a wedding gift. In a statement, his mother said she felt terrified and that he was taking over her life.
She often had breakdowns, especially at night, worrying about his erratic behavior. He had a history of 13 previous convictions for various offenses.
In court, his lawyer asked for a custodial sentence, but he was given a two-year community order instead. He must complete rehabilitation activities and is banned from contacting his mother for five years.
