A son who callously abandoned his vulnerable mother to live in unimaginable squalor while he systematically stole her pension has been condemned as 'selfish and cruel' by a judge.
Stephen Hough, 59, was supposed to be his 81-year-old mother's carer at her home in Bromley, Kent. Instead, he left her surrounded by filth and rotting food, only visiting to withdraw her money for his own use.
A House of Horrors
When concerned neighbours finally alerted authorities, they discovered a scene of utter degradation. The elderly woman was found in a bedroom filled with soiled bedding and excrement, with rotting food and rubbish throughout the property.
The court heard harrowing details of the conditions:
- Human faeces smeared on walls and floors
- Rotting food littering every room
- Overflowing bins and general squalor
- The victim visibly distressed and living in fear
Systematic Financial Abuse
While his mother suffered in these horrific conditions, Hough was helping himself to her life savings. He withdrew over £1,000 from her account in just three months, leaving her without means to care for herself.
Prosecutor Don Ramble told Croydon Crown Court: 'He was only visiting to take money. He was not providing any care. The victim was essentially a prisoner in her own home.'
Justice Served
Judge Elizabeth Smaller sentenced Hough to 21 months imprisonment, stating he had committed 'a gross and unforgivable breach of trust' against his own mother.
The judge added: 'You left her in the most appalling conditions imaginable while you used her money for your own purposes. Your behaviour was selfish and cruel in the extreme.'
Hough pleaded guilty to wilful neglect and theft. The court heard his mother has since been moved to a care home where she is receiving proper treatment and support.
