Shooting survivor stole £14k from 'vulnerable' man
PA MediaA man who came "face-to-face" with a gunman on a shooting spree took more than £14,000 from an elderly man to fund his drinking, a court heard.
Michael Farran, 61, of Fir Garth in Cleator Moor, Cumbria, was handed an eight-month suspended jail term by Workington Magistrates' Court for fraud by false representation.
The court heard Farran admitted withdrawing the money, which belonged to his partner's father-in-law from her previous relationship.
Mike Woolaghan, defending, told the court Farran's behaviour had been "totally out of character" and he had been struggling with underlying mental health issues exacerbated by encountering gun killer Derrick Bird in 2010.
Bird killed 12 people and injured 11 in a rampage in West Cumbria, which sparked a manhunt for him, before he turned the gun on himself.
Magistrates were told Farran had withdrawn a total of £14,370 using his victim's bank card over a six-month period in 2024.
Peter Kelly, prosecuting, said his offending was reported to the police by his partner after she spotted the "substantial amount" missing from her father-in-law's account, for which she has power of attorney.
"The person from which the money has been stolen has insufficient capacity to manage their affairs," he said, adding the man had dementia.
'He betrayed me'
In a statement read out in court, Farran's partner said she felt "disgusted" he could do this to "someone who's so vulnerable".
"I feel like I'm going to struggle to trust someone again, I feel he's betrayed me."
The court heard Farran had been using "the majority" of his income on alcohol.
Defending, Woolaghan said Farran's mental health had been impacted by coming "face-to-face" with Bird and by the death of a close friend and their daughter in a house fire in Distington in 2022.
"All those matters led to a cumulative effect of trauma and alcohol being used as a coping mechanism," he said.
Woolaghan said the pair, who had been in a relationship for about seven years, had since got back together and Farran had been working to address his issues.
He said he had found himself sleeping rough for weeks when the relationship broke down, but he had since been able to repay about £800.
Woolaghan added Farran had also been engaging with his GP and was taking medication to manage his mental health.
Magistrates suspended Farran's eight-month jail term for two years and ordered him to wear an alcohol monitoring tag for 120 days.
Farran, who admitted the offence at an earlier hearing, must also repay the outstanding debt to his victim of £13,570.
