A MAN cashed more than £18,000 in benefit payments wrongly paid to his late mother after her death.

Lee Harker, 38, previously admitted two counts of fraud and one of possessing articles for use in fraud, his mother’s bank card.

The offences relate to benefits paid into his mother’s bank account for more than 17 months after her death in July 2017, enabling Harker to withdraw £18,378, to which he was not entitled.

Durham Crown Court, sitting in Newcastle, was told Harker has since served a prison sentence of almost a year for burglary and two counts of theft.

Helen Towers, mitigating, said Harker “buried his head in the sand”, after his mother’s death and it was, “something of a relief”, when it came to light.

Judge James Adkin said given the time Harker has spent behind bars since the fraud offences, he may be able to pass a non-custodial sentence.

He asked for a probation report on Harker and bailed the defendant, of Woodland View, West Rainton, to return for sentence tomorrow.