AN ELDERLY father has spoken of his “disappointment” after his fraudster son left him unable to pay his care bills.

Nicholas Drake suffers from Parkinson’s disease, and had to be taken to a care home near his son Miles in Lewes.

His son, 54, was given legal powers to look after his father’s cash and make sure he was looked after.

But Drake abused the position of trust and stole £69,000 for “sheer greed”, a court heard.

He took a regular sum of £300 per week from the cash which was meant for his father’s care.

It was revealed the pair had never seen eye to eye.

Drake stole the amount in less than two years.

He claimed it was because he was made redundant and his life hit rock bottom.

But Hove Crown Court was told he had started stealing before he lost his job.

Judge Mark Van Der Zwart said Drake’s father was in his 80s and said the vulnerable and elderly must be protected from those who simply wish to “help themselves”.

The judge jailed Drake for two years for fraud.

Sophie Evans, prosecuting, said the offences happened between January 2018 and November last year.

Drake had the legal power of attorney, but started to take the cash firstly to pay £300 owed for newspapers he had subscribed to.

Nicholas Drake said: “I feel dreadfully let down.

“My son started by helping me to move into the care home.

“But then he stopped coming to visit.

“I thought it was because he was just working away. Then this came to light.

“I was shocked and disappointed with my son.”

Mr Drake said it has left him feeling sad and depressed.

Natasha Dardashti, defending, said Miles Drake had become “desperate” and only stopped visiting his father because he was ashamed of himself.

Drake, of Talbot Terrace, Lewes, first stole £5,000 for his annual train ticket to London to keep working.

He lost his job and “hit an all time low” Ms Dardashti said.

But the judge said: “You received redundancy pay and spent some, if not all of that.

“This was not a case that you had fallen on hard times, it was sheer greed.

“The law, and common decency required you to safeguard your father’s money for his benefit.

“This was a gross abuse of that trust.

“This was not sophisticated, you always knew you would be discovered.

“You have shown a lack of empathy.

“Your father feels let down and depressed. Those who act with power of attorney must do so responsibly, only custody can be justified.”