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A cold-hearted son practically emptied his elderly dad’s bank account of thousands of pounds, strangled him in the street and threw all his personal possessions in the rubbish.

Over a matter of months, 43-year-old James King systematically withdrew about £9,500 from his father’s bank account until there was only 16p left.

On the day he made his final withdrawal, social workers witnessed a row in Dent Street, Hartlepool, when King put his hands around his dad’s throat and pinned him up against a wall.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Mr King senior and his wife moved out of a care home and in with their son before “bad blood erupted” between father and son.

Social workers witnessed the row in Dent Street Hartlepool. Picture by FRANK REID

Ian West, prosecuting, said King had an arrangement to use his dad’s bank card to take out £100 or £150 a fortnight plus £50 petty cash for his father.

Mr West said: “The withdrawals continued until August 18 when the defendant could only withdraw £20 because he had basically emptied the account which was left, after the final withdrawal, a credit balance of only 16 pence.”

The same day social workers attended King’s address to carry out a welfare check on his father but found him and his wife locked inside.

An argument broke out when King returned home during which Mr King senior walked out the house.

King followed him and put his hands around his throat and pinned him against a wall “all the time shouting and screaming in his face,” said Mr West.

Mr King senior was taken to a care home and did not return to the house.

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Over the next few days, his son put all his father’s personal possessions in the back alley and were taken as rubbish in a “mean and vindictive” act.

King pleaded guilty to offences of fraud, theft and intentional strangulation.

In a victim impact statement─ his father said: “This incident is something I cannot get over.

"To think that my own son can do this to me is devastating.”

Sentencing was adjourned for the defence to obtain a psychiatric report.

Stephen Constantine, defending, said King had a personality disorder and potential Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Judge Jonathan Carroll adjourned the case until March 20.

King, of Dent Street, was granted bail.

Callous Hartlepool man who emptied dad's bank account of £9,500 appears at Teesside Crown Court