Dying mum robbed of last trip to beach by South Shields car thief

Serial thief Kier Ruffell crept into the woman's home in South Shields, South Tyneside, in April and took the keys to her Ford Fiesta, which she had purchased just one week earlier. Newcastle Crown Court the victim was unaware the stranger had raided her home and found out her car was missing when police informed her it had been involved a crash with two other vehicles and was on its roof with the windows smashed. The Fiesta and one other vehicle involved in the smash were both written-off. Ruffell, who has 134 offences on his record, was linked to the stolen Fiesta through blood that was found inside the crashed motor. The court heard the victim had used the car to take her mum, who had dementia and Alzheimer's disease, out of her care home and had planned a trip to the beach but was the vehicle was taken before they got the chance to go to the seaside.

In a heartbreaking impact statement, which was read in court, the woman said: "I never got to take my mam out to the beach and that makes me sad." Ruffell, 33, of Russell Street, Jarrow, admitted burglary and aggravated vehicle taking. He also admitted unrelated charges of two thefts from different cars, three charges of vehicle interference and one of fraud. Mr Recorder Richard Herrmann sentenced him to 30 months behind bars with a 28 month road ban and told him: "I have heard of the very significant interference your offending had on her life and in particular in the care of her mother in the last days of her life." The court heard the woman was so traumatised by the raid at her home that she moved away. She added in an impact statement: "A man entered my home and took the keys to my car I had purchased one week previously after years of saving for it. "I used the car to take my mam out, she had severe dementia and Alzheimer's and lived in a care home. I live alone. "I had planned to take my mam on a trip to the beach, she lost use of her legs." The woman said while dealing with grief after her mum passed away she was still forced to sort out the insurance for her car. Sue Hirst, defending Ruffell, said he is "genuinely remorseful" and determined to overcome his drugs problem. Miss Hirst said Ruffell stole the car "simply to get away" because he was upset about something but is "baffled" by his own behaviour. She added: "He began to use drugs from the age of 10 and that is the main issue that has then blighted his life for many years."