A WOMAN who stole more than £1,000 cash from her terminally ill mother to buy heroin has appeared at court. Julie Burdess stole her elderly mum’s bank card and made several cash withdrawals over a ten-day period, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard. The 45-year-old’s mother had saved the money to buy her grandchildren extra Christmas presents this year as she believes this could be her last Christmas. Cheryl Ford, prosecuting, said: “The defendant stole cash to the value of £1,093.96 between November 25 and December 6. Then between December 17 and 18, she sent her numerous messages on Facebook asking for more money and saying if she did not give her it she would kill herself.