FRIENDS and family of Chloë Drury are rallying together to make sure the popular Purley teen is never forgotten.

The whole of Chloë's school year at St Philomena's in Carshalton are talking part in a sponsored walk on Tuesday to raise money for the Royal Marsden Hospital, which looked after Chloë during her battle with cancer.

One of Chloë's closest friends, Sarah Savage, who is planning to train as a nurse in her memory, said: "The Royal Marsden were amazing and did so much to help her and her family."

Sarah is also organising a team of Chloë's friends, as well as Debbie and Simon Binner, Chloë's mother and stepfather, and sister Hannah to enter the Race for Life on June 23 to raise money for Cancer Research.

She said: "I think a lot of people did not know how ill Chloë was and now that she's gone, they want to do everything they can to help.

"When something like this happens to someone close to you, you want to take every opportunity to make sure change can happen.

"We really want change in Chloë's name. She wanted these restrictions lifted – they are so unfair and make no sense. It's really important to us but also to all the other people who will be affected by this in the future."

Chloë's mother, Debbie Binner, said she had been delighted by the number of people who had approached her in and around Purley where she lives, asking her about Chloë's campaign and how they might help.

"It's great that the campaign is raising this kind of awareness and it's very touching to see Chloë's friends raise money for cancer charities," she said.

"The restrictions which prevented Chloë accessing the clinical trials that might have saved her are so complicated, it's often hard to say how people can help."

"The most important thing we can do is put a human face to the campaign to persuade politicians, drug companies and health officials to change the rules."

A group of Chloë's friends – George Shaw, 20, Michael Eglon, 20 and Remy Claustres, 19 – will be running the Tough Mudder – a gruelling 12-mile obstacle course that includes underwater challenges, electric shocks and rings of fire.

The trio are putting themselves through the ordeal on June 8 in Hampshire to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

George said: "We know Chloë was so courageous and had to go through so much pain.

"We wanted to do something really tough, to put ourselves through this kind of pain is not really a lot to give back.

"It's hard to explain how much impact Chloë had on our lives – everyone has been affected.

"It makes you realise that cancer is not just a statistic, even rare cancers like Chloë's. It really can hurt the people you love.

"Cancer does happen, people do die from it and people should do as much as possible to help with causes that might help."

DOMINATED by takeaways and convenience stores, with an overgrown building site the closest it gets to green space, it would be fair to say "village" is perhaps the last word anyone would use to describe London Road.

But now a group of campaigners want to reinvent Broad Green as Croydon's cultural quarter, following recognition of its historical and restaurant district – starting with a new name.

They believe renaming the area "Broad Green Village" will act as a fresh start for a street scarred by the riots of 2011 and attract the sort of businesses which will help West Croydon be known for its coffee shops and restaurants, rather than fast food and payday loans.

"We want to get away from the fact that Croydon is known as the city of the riots and make more of the history and culture we have," said Bushra Ahmed, from the West Croydon Community Forum, one of the groups behind the idea.

"Renaming in itself won't be enough – there has to be new types of businesses and areas for the community – but it could be the start of restoring pride.

"There may be people out there who think it's a stupid idea but if it makes people feel better about living here, then why not?"

Cathy Aitchison, chairman of the Friends of Church Alley, said: "Village sounds like something an estate agent puts after an area to up the value, but there's more to it than that.

"Broad Green has a lot of history. The Half Moon pub is one of the oldest in Croydon and some residents remember a time when the area did have more of a village feel.

"It will be delicate bringing on board the new residents who might not understand or be aware of the heritage, but there's a lot to be said for recognising an area has its own identity."

While the idea is in its early stages, with little detail of what it would involve or how much it would cost, it has some political backing.

Broad Green councillor Stuart Collins believes London Road must be regenerated if Croydon is to make the most of Westfield and Hammerson's £1 billion town centre project.

"I think if you had a village area around West Croydon then it would complement the new shopping centre," he said.

"We need to give shoppers a reason to come to London Road as well as Westfield, and that could be the coffee shops, restaurants or culture. The only way the area will improve is if the row of shops feels more like a community.

"Renaming the area isn't enough on its own, of course. There needs to be significant improvements to the public realm and while there are plans in place, I think the council should invest more of its own money."

London Road is to receive more than £9 million, the biggest single amount of the mayor's £23 million regeneration fund awarded to the borough after the riots. This includes £5 million for business support and £4.6 million for the area around the station.

Vidhi Mohan, cabinet member for communities and economic development, said a new name could complement the council's investment but that he needed more detail.

"If it's something similar to the re-branding of Old Town or the Restaurant Quarter, and the community supports that idea, then I would not object to it," he said.

"I would say that whatever name is chosen should have the support of the whole community, which could be difficult as it's quite a diverse area.

"A fresh start is always a good thing, and the rebranding would help."

With little to show from the physical regeneration since the riots, there will many people who will take some convincing that renaming Broad Green is the way forward, especially when other ideas, like a loyalty card, failed to make it past the drawing board.

Ganapathay Kasinathan, chairman of London Road Business Association, struggles to see the point.

He said: "Renaming the area wouldn't be a fresh start. It doesn't change the history of the area. The crime and the criminals, the dirty streets and betting shops, they will still be here.

"Leave the name as it is and concentrate on changing the things that are important, like the shopfronts and making the place cleaner."

THE architect who designed the IYLO tower – the borough's most notorious eyesore – believes construction work could yet restart.

The graffiti-covered block of flats has stood unfinished on a Croydon roundabout since 2007.

Last week two pictures of IYLO's fully furnished marketing suite appeared on the Twitter account of Chris Darling, managing director of architects Darling Associates.

The tweets boasted that the 20-storey development featured 183 private residential units and achieved an excellent eco-homes rating.

While the once-flagship development is in reality a building site, this hints that work might begin for the first time since 2011.

When contacted by the Advertiser, Mr Darling this week said the pictures did not mean progress was imminent.

"Our marketing person was tweeting the images of our schemes generally, so please don't read anything into that," he said.

"The current situation with IYLO is that the project was purchased by a far-eastern developer off Lloyds Bank who became the controlling owners after the original developer withdrew. The project is on hold."

An ongoing Advertiser investigation has discovered that a businessman bought the building for £10 million in October 2011, four months after St James' Croydon, a subsidiary of original developers Phoenix Logistics, went into administration. The purchase was made via the Minerva Trust, an asset management company based in the tax haven of Jersey.

In order to ensure the true owner's anonymity, Minerva created a front company called Rosefair, which paid an exclusivity fee of £100,000 to secure the deal.

Records from the Jersey Financial Services Commission lists Rosefair's nominees as Derek Vernon Le Brun, the director of Minerva Middle East, and Sylvie Pierre, an associate director at the company.

This week the Advertiser traced the IYLO's real owner, but he has yet to respond to our questions.

Mr Darling said the developer had not contacted his firm for two years. He added: "We have picked up through our local contacts that moves are afoot to start work again. After all, the purchasers did not make their investment to let it rot away.

"Personally, I think it all depends on the Croydon residential market – if you see that picking up, with solid evidence, I am pretty sure you will see IYLO back on stream."

Workmen were on the site last week but the Advertiser understands this relates to a council request to tidy up.

A spokesman said: "We're liaising with the new owners to get the development back under way."

A two-bedroom apartment in the tower block, described in one advert as the borough's only 100 per cent private residential, was being marketed for £375,000.

The IYLO tower is just one example of overseas investors buying up property in Croydon, often through offshore tax havens.

Around 60 per cent of the 158 apartments in Berkley Homes' town centre development Saffron Square are being marketed to Far East investors in China, Hong Kong and Singapore as lucrative buy-to-let opportunities.

Leaked records from the British Virgin Islands tax haven have also revealed Israeli investors bought offices in Croydon in 2009.

Records within more than two million leaked e-mails show Israeli lawyer Yoram Yossifoff's Mydas Fund, based in Tel Aviv, bought Metro Point in Sydenham Road for £12 million in July.

Yossifoff's fund bought the office block from New Star Asset Management using a loan from Aviva, reflecting a net initial yield of 7.25 per cent.

The company name given for the new owners is Manternee, Croydon Government Office Limited partnership in Tel Aviv.

The building is leased to the Department for Transport (DfT) for £920,000 a year until 2020 and was bought through the use of tax loopholes and the secrecy offered by the British Virgin Islands.

For the latest on the IYLO tower, see this week's Croydon Advertiser, out on Friday (April 19).

FAR from being offended by the West End's production of The Book Of Mormon – the savage comedy from the creators of South Park – local worshippers are delighted their religion is getting some exposure.

Adam Hawkins, bishop at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Selsdon Park Road, said on the whole, his 38-strong congregation saw the musical as an opportunity to spread the word of Mormonism.

"The main difference between us and other Christian churches is our text, The Book of Mormon, which sets us apart."

The musical, which is about two Mormon missionaries who are sent to a remote village in northern Uganda ruled by a brutal warlord, takes its title from the church's main scripture.

The pair try to share the book, which only one of them has read, but fail to inspire the locals who are more concerned about war, famine, poverty and AIDS than about religion.

Mr Hawkins said: "I have read reviews about it and it is not something I will probably go and see. However, I think it is great for the church – it's a really positive opportunity to let people know what we are about.

"I find that comedians often poke fun at religion but I really do not know their motives. I have never thought why these people have decided to make a comedy about us.

"The church has started the 'I'm A Mormon' campaign, which will feature on buses throughout London and direct people to a website which has information about Mormonism on it."

Just as the musical revolves around two missionaries, missionary work is a central theme of the Mormon religion, according to the bishop.

He added: "In our congregation we have people on missions to Hong Kong, France, Canada, Poland, Chile and Russia. I once did some missionary work in Manchester and it was a very important experience for me.

"It's about striving to live by the teachings of Jesus Christ every day – he taught the gospel on earth and told his disciples to teach the gospel. That is exactly what we are doing."

The bishop said that more than half of his congregation in Selsdon had converted to Mormonism rather than being born into it.

"We've seen a rise in interest in the church since the musical began, which is great," he said.

"Mormonism is definitely a life choice – being a member of the church affects me each day and the decisions I make.

"It offers purpose to our lives and helps us to understand what our lives are about."

Anyone interested in knowing more can visit mormon.org.uk

Obviously this is a controversial subject, but it can't be avoided.  As a society we need to decide on how we are to deal with these issues.

Philpott was clearly mentally unwell in my eyes.  17 kids, and a fire that killed 6 of them.  Whilst demanding the Council give him a bigger house.

I am medically allowed to flag up symptoms, and this is what I registered:

Delusion – The world does not owe you a living just because you've had kids.  So this man was deluded.  He did not live in the real world in plain English.  His beliefs were not normal and could be seen as harmful in some ways.

Anxiety/ Paranoia – He's had 17 kids.  Considering kids typically give love & loyalty unconditionally to their parent that's quite the loyal obeying army he's created.  Why on earth did he need that many?

Promiscuity – He's had 17 kids.  Yes, Promiscuity is a Mental Health symptom.  And a dangerous one, as it can get the Service User ( mental health patient ) into all sorts of trouble.  He may have 'needs', but those needs don't appear to be healthy.

To me that mix of symptoms is something like what Paranoid Schizophrenics get up to with their beliefs. Delusion & Anxiety are the key symptoms for Paranoid Schizophrenia ( always check these details with a proper Psychiatrist. I just do symptoms, but work with Schizophrenics a lot. )

Philpott is behind bars now so his surviving kids are safe, and hopefully his issues will be spotted and he'll start treatment as part of his rehabilitation.  But could his now deceased kids have been saved?  I think yes.

With Philpott there were so many warning signs.  See the statements above.  Was he mentally well enough to look after kids?  Obviously not.  And he did not volunteer to go to his GP to get help, so it would have been down to The Council to spot his Mental Health problems and intervene. Like how if someone is too ill to look after themselves they are sectioned by The Police or Social Workers.  Sometimes you have to be a little cruel to actually be kind.  Sometimes you have to intervene.

But what could they have done?  In plain English they could have broken up the family and moved some kids out to nearby Foster parents.  When a child is Fostered they can see their real parents if they want.  Group activities can happen as well, so that the kids can stay in touch.  So this is not about forced separation & child cruelty.  It's about forced separation to rescue those kids.  And the family can still spend weekends together and united easily enough.  All it would have taken was a team of Foster Parents to get involved, provide more bedrooms & 'staff', & help Philpott raise his kids.  This is about kindness.  You mustn't punish those kids for the dodgy &/or irresponsible acts of their parents.  Irresponsible breeding is a serious issue, contrary to what some people believe.

Also it's important to remember that some people have worked, had 3-4 kids, carried on working, and then got unlucky and lost their jobs.  We are in a recession-come-depression after all.  This isn't about them.  They'll be out job hunting.  This is about the small crowd who think the world owes them a living PURELY as they have had kids.  There are 190 families in the UK with 10 children or more in them.  There are going to be plenty with 6, 7, or 8 kids as well.  Are you happy with this?  Are you happy to pay for them as they pop out child after child?

The 'baby factory' phenomena ( where someone breeds for various reasons, including for Benefits ) is all very real.  Although, in reality, a tiny phenomena it is still real. These people do exist.  Some parents just decide to start having kids and simply do not stop.  They then have a go at Society for not bailing them out when they run out of money &/ or space.  As they struggle they blame others and then keep on breeding.  Having kids is a choice in a modern age like ours after all, but some won't accept the responsibility &/or wear a condom.

If the Social Workers had gone in on the Philpott family sooner those kids would still be alive. And, odds are, Philpott would be getting medical help by now.  I think that is a reasonable statement.

So it's obvious the Social Workers moving sooner would have helped.  I think that's a fair conclusion so far.

So let's look at these big families.  Why do they do it?

Those who have kids do so for various reasons.  The most common ones are security in old age, seeing the family line continue, and the love and togetherness family usually brings.  Most people have 2-3 kiddies, and decide that that's it for them.  They have enough, the clan is assembled, and they then get on with raising the little so-and-so's.

Some asylum types may well have had big broods to make sure some kids live to adult-hood, but in The UK there is obviously no need for this.  We have our NHS, and there are no wandering warlords shooting people like in places like Africa.  The UK is much safer for kids, so many many more survive to adulthood.  So you don't need to have as many to get them through, like they would have to back home. And this is accepted by most  people ( the vast majority ).  Our Infant Mortality Rate is very low compared to the wilder parts of Africa or The Middle East.

But for a small minority, as we know, they just don't stop dropping sprogs.  They show the same symptoms ( beliefs, needs, & ideas ) Philpott did, and just pump out more and more kiddies.  Irresponsible breeding.

This is why all 3 parties want a Benefits Cap.  They all feel it's an important message to send to people to snap them out of the delusion that they'll just be bailed out by Taxpayers should they choose to create massive broods. The Torys have their flat cap, and Labour want a regional one. The Lib-dems are currently supporting the Tory flat-cap one, even though it does not allow for London Rates and as such forces poor people to leave Central London.  Boris never did move to stop the 'Kosovo Style' ethnic cleansing of Central London that has now started.

Labour's regional Cap would allow for factors like London Weighting, so is considered by some to be a lot more flexible & realistic.  The Torys & Lib-Dems seem focussed on clearing poor people out of Central London instead.  Are you happy with this?

I'm writing all this as you, the Voters of Croydon, have a very big decision coming come Election 2014 ( Council Elections, so that's Social Housing and the like ) & Election 2015 ( The National Elections, so that's the Benefits Cap & Benefits generally ).  Are The Torys getting it right?  Or are Labour more accurate?  Should there be a Benefits Cap?  And if so which one?

I'm also hoping to raise Mental Health Awareness tied to this phenomena.  If these parents creating their massive broods instead get Psychiatric help I'm confident they can be cured BEFORE it gets to the point where their kids end up in danger.  And I'm not just talking Philpott here.  I'm talking the damage of overcrowding.

If kids don't have enough space they can't grow properly both physically & mentally.  They pick up problems like moodiness, short-tempers, tourettes, bad posture, deformed bones, and depression.  And, needless to say, having to share a room with 3 other siblings really damages your ability to do your homework and ultimately get good grades at school.  Hence why breaking up these large families can save those kids from this overcrowding issue ( the cruel to be kind bit I mentioned ).  More parents & more bedrooms can REALLY help these kids out.

But it's important people think about this.  It's your society.  Do you want to just leave those kids with parents that are obviously not coping knowing those kids will suffer and not reach their full potential?  Do you believe these kids should be left with their parents & the money just handed over?  Can the Tax-payer afford to build 6-8 bedroom Mansions to cater for their demands, and should we?  What if the parents are as ill ( risky ) as Philpott?  Are you happy to take that risk?  When would you send in the Social Workers to investigate?

Yeah, some very big questions there.  What kind of society do you want to live in?  Ultimately this will be your choice oh voter.

You'll find that large families on benefits will come up in Council records, so they can be spotted. So where is the limit where it goes from 'ok' to 'a bit crazy'?  That's really what you have to decide.

Also, think about Carers. If there is a Disabled child or parent in the household there is full immunity from The Cap.  And the Elderly are exempt as well.  So Carers are, well, it's an important subject.

Under the current Con-Dem Benefits Cap Carers who look after a Disabled adult ( a child ( theirs ) who is disabled and is now over 18 ) WILL be effected by The Cap.  So they ( The Carers and the kiddy-now-adult ) will most likely suffer &/or starve unless they put their adult Disabled Caree into Care. Is this the right idea?  Please remember that with some Caree's they may be 46 ( for example ) but they could only have the mind of a child.  That's how some conditions work.  So if the family is forcibly broken up by the current Cap that Caree will genuinely be being separated from a caring & hard-working mummy & daddy.  Is this the right thing to do?

Carers ( in their various shapes and sizes ) safe The NHS an estimated £119b per year by NOT using Care Homes.   Carers care in the community so that Care Homes are not needed. The ENTIRE NHS budget itself is only £110b per year, so this gives you an idea as to how big a contribution Carers make.  Without Carers we'd be stuffed, pure & simple.

And yet Carers Allowance ( their 'Income Support' style benefit to support them as they do this important job ) is only a measly £60.00 per week; which is why so many Carers are now having Mental Health breakdowns and burning out.  They get paid less than Jobseekers, and Jobseekers is supposed to be tough to encourage work.  So Carers Allowance is actually agony.  Debt and a lack of cash generally ( with all the stress that brings ), when mixed with the stresses of their job, are crushing them.  They're dropping like flies.  And now some of them have the Benefits Cap in it's current form to worry about as well.  So think about it.  Should Carers be included in the Benefits Cap?  Or is it a mistake to do what this Govt are doing?

I know there's a lot there, but even so.  From what I can see, a small group of most-likely ill people have created such a storm that Carers are now being beaten up by the current Conservative-LibDem Govt.  Do you approve of this, or are you opposed?

Have a think, and may the debate commence.

Christian Wilcox is the Chair of the Croydon Mental Health Forum ( politically neutral ), an NHS Executive ( Advisory ) for the South London & Maudsley ( politically neutral ), and works for the Labour Party privately.

FAR from passers-by whizzing through an unknown village, many speeding drivers causing misery for Old Coulsdon residents are local, it has been revealed.

A "large proportion" of warning letters sent out to drivers by anti-speeding volunteers go to local addresses, according to the chairman of the residents' association.

Brian Udell, chairman of the Old Coulsdon Residents' Association, is one of the volunteers who patrol the area's roads with safer neighbourhood teams and speed guns.

He told his group's annual meeting last week: "We take the details of the car and the colour – we check that with the DVLA and then the letters go out.

"Fifty letters went out in the last month.

"The interesting point is a lot of the drivers actually live in our own area.

"They say they know the roads, they know where they can speed, and they do not see it as a problem."

Drivers going too fast have long angered residents of Old Coulsdon, a 30mph zone. The area around Bradmore Green is a particular accident blackspot.

Ward Councillor Chris Wright told the meeting the council recognised that the problem was serious".

He pointed to a number of anti-speeding measures put in place, including pedestrian crossings and traffic islands.

However, the case for more measures needed to be very strong in order to secure any more investment, he said.

He said: "We have had many site meetings with officers in Croydon.

"Each time they come back to me – 'can you give me some more facts, some figures, can you show me how by spending money we can reduce accidents?'.

"And each idea we came up with, all of them I am afraid have been turned down for some reason or another.

"It is not that the council do not know and do not sympathise – we do – but we can only do what we are allowed to do by the law and the rules governing the distribution of money from the mayor."

He added: "Until motorists get the message that speed kills then I am afraid it is going to be very, very difficult."

Mr Udell said that more volunteers are needed to patrol the roads and send warning letters.

He added: "We go into any of the roads that have been risk-assessed by the police.

"One of the difficulties we have is through all this health and safety legislation we are forced to wear these horrible yellow jackets so when they come over the road and they see this yellow jacket then you can see them slow down."

LAST WEEK, we reported how a patients' survey to be published next week will rank Croydon University Hospital as the second worst in the country. Today, our columnist Laura Carter – a recently-qualified nurse who has worked at CUH during her three years of training – pens her impassioned defence of the hospital, while you also share your experiences – good and bad – of being treated there...

FOR nearly five years I have worked in the hospital formerly known as Mayday and unfortunately still referred to by some as 'May-die'. I have worked in Outpatients, in A&E and on a number of wards. My mum trained there as a nurse and works there too. I was born there, my sister was born there, my relatives have been treated there, and I have been treated there. Croydon University Hospital truly is my second home and as a nurse, patient and relative it breaks my heart to see its reputation in such a sad state.

Night and day my colleagues work their absolute hardest to provide the best possible care for patients. They come in early, they stay late and they miss their breaks in order to make sure that everything is done and documented as it should be.

To say that everyone who works at Croydon University Hospital does not care is simply unfair and untrue. Yes there are problems, but solutions to these do not come overnight. No hospital is perfect, but given the abuse that has taken place in other organisations, I certainly do not believe that we are the second-worst in the country.

Of course there is absolutely no excuse for bad care; dignity, respect and good manners cost nothing. But it is becoming harder and harder to deliver the good care that people deserve when you are constantly under pressure to meet targets, save money and take on more work; when there is just too much to do.

It's not that compassion and care has been lost, merely that there just is not enough time to really show it. This problem is not unique to Croydon; it is widespread across the whole of the health service. There has never been a more difficult time to work for the NHS. The last few months have been particularly challenging with the publishing of the Francis report and the biggest reforms that the NHS has ever seen. It's not just Croydon University Hospital in turmoil, it is entire professions. Nurses in particular have been vilified and attacked like never before.

It is incredibly demoralising when people consistently put down where you work and the work that you do when they often do not understand just how hard it can be. So on behalf of all the nurses, doctors, therapists, pharmacists, porters and cleaners of the NHS who give everything they can 24 hours a day, seven days a week; please don't tar us all with the same brush. We are all doing the best that we can.

A FORMER soldier who took a beer-swilling, cigarette-smoking bear into action with him has died aged 89 in Kenley.

Dymitr Szawlugo, who died on April 2, was serving with the Polish Army in Iran in 1942 when he adopted a small bear, which he named Wojtek.

When his unit was relocated to Italy, the soldiers were told they had to leave Wojtek behind because he was a mascot.

To avoid this, they enlisted the now much larger animal on to the army payroll – giving him a rank and serial number.

Wojtek was no teddy bear, however, seeing action on the front line and carrying ammunition to be used in the Battle of Monte Cassino.

Mr Szawlugo's daughter, Helena Gates, 48, said: "My father said the bear was very much one of the lads.

"Wojtek used to smoke cigarettes and loved a beer as a reward. When his beer was finished he used to peer into his bottle until someone came and topped it up again." Wojtek, pronounced Voytek, used to mimic everything the soldiers of the 22nd Transport Company did.

After the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944, the company changed its badge to an image of Wojtek holding a shell.

Old Coulsdon resident Helena said: "I remember when I was a child my dad telling us stories about Wojtek at bedtime.

"He gave me a teddy bear and suggested I name it Little Wojtek."

When Mr Szawlugo and his colleagues were demobilised at the end of the war, Wojtek took up residence at Edinburgh Zoo, where he died in 1963.

Shortly before Mr Szawlugo died, he was visited by best-selling Second World War author Brendan Foley, who is writing a screenplay based on his life with Wojtek.

After he left the Army, Mr Szawlugo moved to south London and worked as an engineer at the AGI factory in Lombard Road, Croydon.

His wife Victoria died in 2008, and he spent his final years at Homefield House in Old Coulsdon and Hill House in Kenley.

Mr Szawlugo will be given a small funeral next week in Streatham, organised by Rowland Brothers.

Mr Szawlugo's son Andy added: "There will be Polish Army insignia on his coffin and pictures of Wojtek too, because he played a big part in his life."

A 30-YEAR-OLD man stole hundreds of pounds worth of jewellery from his partially sighted mother.

Unemployed Neil Cordell took the valuables from Estelle Cordell's home in Warbank Close in January and February, a court heard this week.

He then pawned the jewellery, including a pair of 14-carat gold earrings and a nine-carat gold pendant, for £222 at a pawnbroker - where they were spotted by his mother.

Croydon Magistrates' Court heard how Cordell, now of Chertsey Crescent, told police he intended to buy the jewellery back.

Prosecuting, Bhavin Patel said: "He had moved back into the family home.

"In February his mother asked him to leave as he was stealing jewellery from her; she discovered the jewellery at the pawnbrokers. She also indicated that, a couple of months before, she had heard Mr Cordell in her bedroom but did not see what he was doing because she is blind in one eye."

Mr Cordell pleaded guilty to theft and was handed a 12-month community order by chair of the bench Peter Knowles on Monday.

Mitigating, Nicole Lodge told the court her client "understands" the harm done to his mother, who is understood to be in her sixties.

She said: "He understands what he has done and the impact this may have had on his mother. £222 may not seem a significant amount but when taken from a person of limited means – that is of significant value to her.

"He does now wish to find meaningful employment.

"He does not accept that he has an addiction but he does admit that he does take recreational drugs and does drink alcohol."

Sentencing, Mr Knowles said: "You have stolen from your family, which is very serious indeed.

"The reason we were taking time is because we were considering whether it has passed the custody threshold.

"In this case we have decided that we will tackle this by means of a community order."