HE plundered his elderly mum’s bank accounts, leaving her with just £30.

Financial adviser Stephen Hammond stole £46,000 after being left in charge of handling mum Elsie’s money when she became too ill.

But instead of using it to pay her care home bills, 51-year-old Hammond helped himself to the life savings to help pay his own mortgage when he ran into huge arrears.

Southampton Crown Court heard how the theft was only uncovered when Hammond’s sister, Sandra Lark, was contacted by Elsie’s care home in Wiltshire to discuss the unpaid bills.

When she looked into the matter in July 2009, she found their mother’s life savings were depleted – and just £30 was left.

Hammond, of Upmill Close, West End, was arrested in November 2009 and admitted three theft charges relating to the withdrawal of money from the account between April 2007 and February 2009 – some 14 months before Elsie, who was 81, passed away in April this year.

But Judge Peter Ralls decided against a custodial sentence after Hammond signed legal documents waiving his rights to his mother’s inheritance.

Instead he imposed a 45-week suspended sentence for two years plus a three-month curfew and 70 hours of unpaid work.

Hammond was also ordered to pay his sisters £5,000 each to match a shortfall.

Judge Ralls said: “I have taken an extremely merciful course. You have brought disgrace on yourself and have caused considerable upset to your family. Your sisters have been badly let down by what has happened.”

Richard Martin, defending, said Hammond had not been working, cared for a severely autistic child and was in arrears with his mortgage on his £117,000 West End home.

He said: “He was not funding a lavish lifestyle. He is conscious what he did was very wrong indeed.”