A HUSBAND left to cope with three children when his wife ran off with another man stole from his employer to try to make ends meet.

But Blackburn magistrates heard the thefts were discovered, plunging Stephen Andrew Gentry's life into further turmoil.

He was instantly dismissed from his job, his father, who paid £3,446 compensation to his former employers, suffered a major heart attack which had caused him to lose his sight and hearing, and the eldest of the three children he was caring for discovered that Gentry was not her natural father.

Gentry, 36, of Baron Street, Darwen, admitted stealing £2,800 from Darwen Trading Company. He was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for a year.

Neil White, prosecuting, said the money was taken over a 12-month period and all was subsequently repaid.

Gentry had run a property rental business on behalf of his employers and had pocketed deposits paid by clients. He told police he had been going through a financial crisis and intended to pay back the money.

Gentry had no previous convictions.

Jane Potter, defending, said Gentry's wife had run off with another man leaving him with three children to care for.

Shortly after, he was made redundant and from having two wages coming in he was left as a single, unemployed parent, faced with the demands of three children but reliant on benefits.

He went on a training course and eventually got a job as a letting agent and then office manager with the company from which he eventually stole.

She said he was struggling to keep his head above water financially and used the deposits paid by clients to pay his bills.

"He intended to pay the deposits back when the tenancies came to an end," said Miss Potter. She said Gentry was dismissed immediately and was now reliant on benefits and the eldest of the three children has found out that Gentry was not her natural father.

Gentry's father had paid a sum to Darwen Trading Limited to cover the money stolen and an amount of compensation which it had been hoped would have removed the need for a prosecution.

"Mr Gentry senior has had a heart attack because of the concern for his son's welfare," said Miss Potter.

"He has been in hospital for three weeks, he has lost his sight and his hearing and there are grave doubts whether he will make a recovery.

"My client will have to live with what he has done for the rest of his life," she added. "He was not offending to put heroin in a syringe and inject it into his arm or to pour drink down his throat, he did it to provide for his family."