A SON reunited with his father after 17 years apart went on to run off with his stepmother, York magistrates heard.

Benjamin Andrew Smith, 18, also took with him some of his dad’s travel money, stolen when the father was away from home.

Now the son is starting a new life with his stepmother, Dawn Tracey Smith, who is nearly twice his age, in Lincoln, 80 miles away from his father Andrew John Smith, in Ostman Road, Acomb.

But he has to repay his father full compensation for the 200 euros he stole that the court heard were worth £150.

The son, now of Woodfield Avenue, Lincoln, lives on benefits. He pleaded guilty to theft and was ordered to do 60 hours’ unpaid work as well as paying the compensation.

His solicitor, John Howard, said the son was unaware that Andrew John Smith was his father until June 2008. After they met that summer, he moved in with the older man and Dawn Smith, now aged 34.

“A relationship developed between the defendant and Dawn Smith resulting in the break-up of the marriage of Dawn Smith and the complainant.

“Since that period of time, Dawn Smith and Benjamin Smith moved from York. He is away from the area and has started a fresh life in Lincoln with Dawn Smith.”

John Paul Swoboda, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said that the father had bought 900 euros at the Thomson Travel Shop in Parliament Street on June 13 and placed the money in his bedside cabinet.

He was away from home overnight on July 1. When he returned, 200 euros were missing, and there was no sign that a burglar had forced his way into the house.

Mr Howard said that Dawn Smith continued to have access to the family home after her marriage broke down.

On July 1, she was looking for family passports.

During the search, the son saw the money in the open bedside drawer and, on the spur of the moment, took it. The son was unemployed, but had recently finished a qualification in sports and leisure and was looking for work in a gym.