A man was jailed for stealing more than £260,000 from his elderly mother with dementia.

Ian Leonard, 54, of Lilac Way, was given legal control over his mother's finances in September 2012 after her diagnosis with dementia, which, according to Herts Police, he began spending in local pubs after she was placed in a care home.

In 2013, Leonard sold his mother's home, making £260,000, placed the proceeds in his business account before using the money to purchase a property which he rented out, collecting the income for himself.

Following an investigation which began in 2015 after social services raised concerns of his mother's fees going unpaid, it was discovered that Leonard had invested money in a failed pyramid scheme, spent more than £30,000 on specialist legal advice following his drink-driving conviction and repayment of a loan to a friend.

Det Constable Lorna Robertson said: "During the time Leonard had control over his mother’s financial affairs he stripped her of her financial assets. At the same time he met none of the costs of his mother’s care, putting her at risk of eviction.

"He failed to provide her with an adequate personal allowance meaning she was forced to rely on the goodwill and charity of the care home for sundry costs such as hair dressing or buying slippers.

"He clearly acted in his own interests rather than those of his mother. Furthermore he defrauded her then laundered the proceeds so it couldn’t be used to pay for her care."

In 2015 his power of attorney was revoked by a judge after he had "decimated" his mother's finances.

Leonard admitted fraud by abuse of position but denied money laundering and was found guilty of this at a trial, then was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court to five and a half years in prison on Monday.