A MOTHER who forked out £75,000 in nine years to fund her son’s drug habit was left feeling “suicidal”, a court heard.

Dorothy Nicholson is now “scared in her own home” after her son Paul continued to pester her for money so he could buy heroin.

Nicholson’s offending reached its peak when he pleaded guilty to taking his mother’s car without her consent.

Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that on July 1, that the ex-Alderman Quilley school pupil, 28, took his mum’s phone.

When Ms Nicholson asked where it was he said he left it on a wall whilst he went out to score heroin from his dealer.

The following day, he stole the car after using threatening actions outside the family home in an alleyway.

Prosecutor Sital Mond said: “He took his mother’s bag in the kitchen and found the car keys.

"His mother said she was worried he would assault her.”

Nicholson, a former chef at the Dog and Crook, in Bramshaw, took the car and when he didn’t return for over two and a half hours, Ms Nicholson contacted the authorities.

In a victim impact statement read by prosecutor Ms Mond, Ms Nicholson said she had spent thousands on her son. She said: “He scares and frightens me.

“I feel ashamed. I wanted to keep this behind closed doors. He has stolen money and things of mine. It has shaken me and I am scared in my own house.”

Ms Nicholson added: “I feel down and depressed and I want to kill myself to escape this.”

The court heard that Nicholson took the car as he believed the keys had been put on the side and this was a sign for him to take the car.

In sentencing District Recorder Peter Greenfield said the case was “sad incident that affected a vulnerable woman”.

Nicholson, of Hyde Gate, Winchester, was given a 12-month community order and disqualified from driving for 12-months.

He was fined £150 and ordered to pay £85 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Nicholson was also made subject to a two-year restraining order against his mother.