A 55-year-old man, Martyn Walker, took more than £28,000 from his elderly mother, who suffers from dementia, to fuel his growing obsession with Lego. The theft involved withdrawing £28,070.20 from two of his mother’s bank accounts while she was residing in a care facility in Bury St Edmunds in 2022.

At Norwich Crown Court, it was revealed that Walker had attempted to assist in managing his mother’s finances but ended up misusing the funds. Samantha Lowther, the prosecutor, disclosed that Walker initially struggled to pay outstanding fees for his mother’s care before confessing via email that he had spent her money.

The money taken from his mother’s accounts, amounting to £16,095 and £11,975 between January 2023 and July 2024, was primarily used to cover his expenses, with a significant portion allocated to his Lego purchases. Walker, a resident of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and appeared for sentencing at Norwich Magistrates’ Court.

Judge David Pugh described Walker’s actions as a betrayal of trust, highlighting the deliberate targeting of a vulnerable individual. Despite the prolonged nature of the crimes, Walker’s remorse and admission led to a suspended 18-month jail sentence for two years. In court, Walker acknowledged his wrongdoing, expressing regret and accepting the consequences of his actions.

As part of his sentence, Walker was ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and engage in up to 15 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR). Walker expressed concern about the impact of his actions on his family, particularly mentioning his wife’s recent discovery of the situation.