Mother's despair over addict son

Maggie Davies blitzed the town of Castleford, with notices in 1995 to let people know that her teenage son Matthew was fraudulently collecting money for charity to buy drugs.

Now she has once again told of her heartache at the plight of Matthew, now 28, who she calls a 'one-man crime wave.'

Matthew's innocent-looking face hit the headlines 15 years ago after his mother outed his scheme with a score of posters put up around the area he lived.

The flyers were headed with her son's name as it was then, "Matthew Davey, Aged 13, Warning" followed by the statement: "This child is going around raising sponsorship money with no intention of handing the money over to any of the charities he is collecting for."

It continued: "Please do not sponsor the above for anything. If asked for sponsorship please call the Police."

Maggie, 50, explained that since her appeal Matthew has failed to kick his destructive habit for good and has turned to crime to fund his lifestyle.

Speaking as her son was jailed for 10 months at Pontefract Magistrates' Court, she said: "He's a one-man crime wave and he needs help to break this vicious cycle.

"I tried the posters 15 years ago and I'm still trying to stop him wasting his life. When he comes out of prison, I want drug dealers to know that if I find out they are selling drugs to him I will call the police.

"It's tough love. It's because I do love him and I want him to turn his life around. I know he thinks I'm being a grass and dropping him in it, but I don't know what to do. I really hope he comes out of prison clean and proves us all wrong.

Davies, of Millard Drive, was sentenced for stealing a chain from a Castleford jewellers, an offence he committed just 11 days after being given a conditional discharge at the same court for theft.

His mother said she did not understand that decision and said her son needed more than a "slap on the wrist."

She said: "I don't understand why he was given a conditional discharge in the first place. His record is disgusting. It only took him 11 days to reoffend and then, when he was back in court, he was given bail.

"He was back on the streets to shoplift. It's like they gave him a free pass to continue what he was doing. I think he needs a longer prison sentence. All his sentences have been for a couple of months.

"If he was in prison longer he would be cleaner for longer and would have more time to reflect. He needs help," she added.

Maggie said her son had started smoking cannabis at the age of 13, when he was known as Matthew Davey, and began taking heroin at 16.

She said he had been admitted to hospital five years ago with septicaemia and a blood clot in his leg.

It left him terrified and he managed to get clean for around two-and-a-half years, but then went back on the drugs.