'Callous' drug addict drained sister-in-law's HSBC account before burgling her Castleford home

A “callous” thief who exploited his vulnerable sister-in-law and defrauded her out of thousands was finally caught after he burgled her home in desperation for more drug money.
By Nick Frame
Published 14th Jan 2024, 04:45 GMT
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Heroin addict Paul Armitage’s despicable antics were only uncovered after he was caught on CCTV trying to use her stolen HSBC card shortly after the break-in at her Castleford home.

What the police then found was that Armitage had been siphoning cash from her accounts for months in order to feed his habit, Chloe Hudson told Leeds Crown Court.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The victim was a 62-year-old woman with vision and hearing problems. The court heard that on September 6 last year, she had been with her sister – Armitage’s partner – at their house.

Paul Armitage was jailed after targeting his partner's sister, fleecing her of thousands. (pic by WYP / Adobe)Paul Armitage was jailed after targeting his partner's sister, fleecing her of thousands. (pic by WYP / Adobe)
Paul Armitage was jailed after targeting his partner's sister, fleecing her of thousands. (pic by WYP / Adobe)

While there, 42-year-old Armitage took her house keys from her coat pocket and left. Letting himself into her home, he took £70 in cash and her bank card, leaving her front door wide open as he left.

But a short time later he tried to use her card to withdraw cash from a Sainsbury’s ATM and was caught on CCTV, leading to his arrest.

Following the subsequent investigation, it was found in April of last year that he had set up a HSBC account in the woman’s name and over the next five months stole £4,390 from the account. Armitage, of Victoria Court, Castleford, had also set up a Santander account in her name in which he targeted a further £1,100.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Held on remand in HMP Leeds, Armitage admitted a charge of burglary and four counts of fraud.

He has 66 previous convictions from 183 offences, including more than 130 for theft and fraud. Having been convicted of two previous burglaries, a third-strike rule meant he faced a mandatory three-year minimum jail term.

Mitigating, Lucy Brown said Armitage’s life had a “lifelong and entrenched drug habit”, which has led to his offending. He has since been on a methadone prescription and is now substance free, she added.

Judge Anesh Pema jailed Armitage for more than three years and four months, telling him he must serve 1,241 days. He said: “She was a vulnerable person, you had access to her finances and you took advantage in a callous and structured way.”