The son of a vulnerable Flint woman has spoken of his disbelief after his sister avoided jail for defrauding their mother.

Appearing at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday, Michelle Hughes, 52, of Woodfield Avenue in Flint, admitted making a false representation to Sainsbury’s Bank plc that her mother Muriel Hughes, 74, wished to take out a £10,000 personal loan.

The Leader:

Michelle Hughes outside Mold Crown Court

She received an 18 month prison sentence suspended for two years, was subjected to six month tagged curfew and a five year restraining order under which she is not to approach her mother in any way and she must not visit her at her home.

Mrs Hughes' 46-year-old son Paul told the Leader he was "disgusted" with the sentence.

He said: "I don't want this to happen to anyone else - this has destroyed my mum's life. She is absolutely devastated.

"She has Parkinson's disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and this has made her health deteriorate more.

"The wrongdoings of my so-called sister have also stopped the extension on my mother's house - to help her live more easily - from being done for years.

"We found out because a letter came from the council saying the bank had a hold on the house.

"But my dad worked all his life, paid the house off and saw that my mum was all right before he died of cancer in 2012.

"So I am glad this letter came because we might not have known and we could have ended up losing the house."

Mr Hughes added: "I've run out of anger over it - and I have lost family and friends through this.

"Just how low can you get? My mum is very vulnerable and she is too afraid to leave the house."

Speaking of the sentence, he added: "To get a suspended sentence - it's not right. That's no justice. Not in my eyes."