"He says he loves me but he loves the drugs more" - Sheffield drug addict jailed after harassing his heartbroken mother
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Darren Howard, aged 34, of Exeter Drive, Broomhall, Sheffield, had been made subject to an indefinite restraining order to protect his parents after an assault against his mother, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing, but he breached the order after he repeatedly contacted his mother between September 30 and October 2.
Jessica Strange, prosecuting, told the hearing on December 14 that Howard, who has 31 previous convictions for 66 offences, repeatedly phoned his mother and turned-up at her home demanding money.
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Hide AdHis mother, who said she has shed more tears than she thought she could cry, stated: “I find the whole thing with Darren distressing and disturbing. It’s affected my sleep and at times I have felt a physical weakness in my chest.”
She added: “He says he loves me but he loves the drugs more and while he is on drugs he’s a completely different creature and he’s destroying me. I have lost who Darren was.”
Howard pleaded guilty to breaching the restraining order and also admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance from March and possessing a lock-knife in a public place from May.
The court heard Howard’s previous convictions include common assaults, affray, shoplifting, burglary and driving offences.
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Hide AdRebecca Stevens, defending, said: “He’s cogently aware of the effect of using drugs on his mother. He’s deeply ashamed of his behaviour.”
Ms Stevens added Howard rebelled against a religious up-bringing and started using cannabis as a teenager and after his girlfriend was unfaithful he started using class A drugs and has been in the grip of drugs for a long time.
She said Howard had kept a knife because he had been self-harming and he had it to protect himself because he has debts and had received threats which is why he was making demands from his mother.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC, who described Howard’s criminal record as “deplorable”, told him: “Your conduct towards your mother was both deeply unpleasant and shameful.”
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Hide AdJudge Richardson sentenced Howard to two-and-a-half years of custody and disqualified him from driving for five years and this ban will become effective upon his release.
