A PEST who was jailed after stealing from his mum and forcing her to move seven times has appeared in court again – after going to her latest home.
Steven Smith was handed an 18-month prison sentence after breaking into his mum Julie Knox’s house in 2010.
It was the latest in offences against her, which saw her move from house to house to try to keep him away.
At the time, Mrs Knox said she hoped jail would make the 30-year-old see sense.
But in September last year, he was given a suspended sentence after stealing a ring from her.
He also stole a bag, purse and mobile phone belonging to an elderly woman in sheltered accommodation, a wallet from a man and three gold rings from another woman.
The suspended sentence was activated a month later, after he pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in South Shields town centre and was jailed for 12 weeks.
Now Smith, who is of no fixed abode and has about 80 convictions, has been arrested again after turning up at his mum’s home – where he is not welcome.
His mum wasn’t there, but her husband called police.
When officers turned up, Smith was walking away from the house and they told him to go home. He began to swear and he was arrested.
Smith pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court. Stan Sudworth, prosecuting, said: “He was clearly drunk and was asked to leave the area.
“He said he was going to go back to the house and started to shout and swear.
“After another warning, he continued and was arrested.”
The court heard Smith, who is an alcoholic, went to see his mother after being discharged from Cherry Knowle psychiatric hospital in Sunderland.
Christopher Brown, defending, said: “He hadn’t seen his mother for about four weeks.
“He has mental health problems and his stepfather isn’t keen on seeing him.
“There is nothing to stop him going to her house, although he did use some guttural and industrial language when speaking to the police officers.”
Smith was given a six-month conditional discharge.