An Ipswich drug addict who stole his mother’s bank card and a mobile phone after she refused to give him money has been given a drug rehabilitation order.

Kim Barnett left a voicemail asking his mother Carol Howe to meet him on the pretext of repaying money he owed her, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

She agreed to meet him in Ipswich town centre and when she pulled up in her car he got into the passenger seat and immediately told her he needed £100 to pay for bed and breakfast accommodation, said Hugh Vass, prosecuting.

Mrs Howe refused to give him the money and Barnett became angry and asked for £75.

He refused to get out of the car and Mrs Howe drove to the site of the former Ipswich police station in Elm Street.

On the way Barnett picked up her handbag and refused to give it back to her.

Mrs Howe then stopped the car and tried to get her handbag back from her son and shouted for help out of the window, said Mr Vass.

Barnett had then got out of the car and tussled with his mother for the bag before throwing it on the ground causing the contents to spill out.

After being chased by a security guard Barnett returned the items he’d taken out of the bag before attempting to run off again, said Mr Vass.

Barnett, 29, of Pineview Road, admitted theft and was given a two year community order and a nine month drug rehabilitation order.

He was also given a 25 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Sentencing Barnett, Recorder Mary Loram said she had seen documents which showed he was engaging with the NHS and Turning Point in a bid to do something about his life and she didn’t want to interfere with that.

She said that to her credit Barnet’s mother was still supporting her son.

Achilleas Achillea, for Barnett, accepted the incident must have been distressing for his mother.

He said Barnett had a history of drug addiction and also had depression and schizophrenia.

He told the court that Barnett had needed money to pay for bed and breakfast accommodation after his father asked him to leave his house.