A 62-year-old Ipswich man who chased his son when he stole £20 is fighting for his life in hospital after he suffered a suspected heart attack.

Derek Newton went after his son Joseph, 22, when he took the money from his flat in Burlington Road at around 5pm on Sunday, South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court heard.

Joseph’s sister, Victoria, eventually caught him but Mr Newton, who has a history of heart problems, was found in the back garden suffering from a suspected cardiac arrest, Wayne Ablett for the prosecution said.

He was airlifted to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and is on a ventilator, the court was told.

Just 16 days before the theft Newton broke in to his dad’s home at around 1.50am and again stole £20. Newton pleaded guilty to both burglary and theft charges.

David Allan, for Newton, told the court about the first £20 stolen: “The £20 his father had handed to him and his ex-partner to help them through – it was a habit they had with managing together on receipt of benefits.”

Newton, of no fixed abode, then went to the house when he found out the money had been handed back. Mr Allan said. “He took the matters into his own hands to get the money – he was short of money. He accepts he had no right to go into the house and take the £20 back from the jar,” he added.

Mr Ablett, talking about the theft on Sunday, said: “There was a 999 call from Derek Newton at 5.08pm saying someone had just stolen £20 from inside the home address. Six minutes later there was a second call with the police calling for an ambulance stating Mr Newton was in the back garden having a suspected heart attack.”

Mr Newton had let in his son after he had come back to his home 30 minutes after telling him to “go away”.

Mr Ablett said: “Joseph appeared very upset and appeared to be crying but he returned in the next 30 minutes ringing the door bell; at that time he was told to come in to the flat for a chat. Victoria says within five minutes he was running out of the address with a £20 note in hand. His father came out of the flat and chased him for a couple of minutes shouting ‘come back, come back’.”

In defence, Mr Allan said: “Mr Newton has some extremely serious and difficult family circumstances that he wants to address. There are some circumstances in life that are more important to him than the outcome from the offences.”

Chairman of the bench, Mr West, said because of a lack of address and record of breaking a bail condition, the court would remand Newton in custody.

He has been committed to Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing.