Son Gets Six Months For Forging Ill Mom's Signature To Refinance Home; Blows Loan Proceeds In Failed Attempt To Buy Foreign Bride

In Wolverhampton, West Midlands, The Express & Star reports:

• A Wolverhampton man forged his ill mother’s signature in order to re-mortgage the house they jointly owned to pay off debts and buy a foreign bride, a court heard. Stephen Collymore signed his 68-year-old mother’s name on a land registry document in 2004 to obtain £35,000 from Halifax, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told. The 42-year-old, of Tyburn Road in Wednesfield, was said to have used the money to pay off debts and buy a foreign bride, although no-one ever arrived in the UK.

• Collymore, who was reported to the police by his mother Joanna, was yesterday handed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for a year, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. Miss Rhiannon Jones, prosecuting, said: “The defendant and his mother jointly purchased the home in Eastfield Road in 2002 from Wolverhampton Council and they lived together. In October 2004 the defendant forged his mother’s signature on the land registry document and obtained the mortgage from Halifax at £35,000. [...]"

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• Mrs Collymore, who suffers from diabetes and angina, went to the police in July 2008 to tell them what had happened and her son was arrested months later in September. A statement from Mrs Collymore read out in court said: “This has shocked and upset me. I’m worrying all the time about losing my home.”

For more, see Man forged signature to buy bride.