Father 'stole laptops and a DVD player from children's cancer unit where his son was being treated' 

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The parents of a boy battling cancer have been charged with stealing four laptops and a DVD player from the children's play area of the hospital where he was being treated.

Father Matthew Ingham, 37, has been accused of five counts of theft from children's cancer charity Candlelighters, which runs the play area at Leeds General Infirmary, in West Yorkshire.

Meanwhile mother Kim Ager, 34, has been charged with receiving stolen goods.  

The couple's sick son Callum, nine, was being treated at the hospital for neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of childhood cancer. 

Cancer sufferer: Nine-year-old Callum (right) with his father Matthew Ingham (left), 37, who has been accused of stealing four laptops and a DVD player from the children's play area at Leeds General Infirmary, where his son was being treated for cancer

Accused: Father Matthew Ingham (pictured), 37, has been accused of five counts of theft from children's cancer charity Candlelighters, which runs the play area at Leeds General Infirmary, in West Yorkshire. Meanwhile mother Kim Ager, 34, has been charged with receiving stolen goods

The primary school pupil has already undergone chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a stem cell harvest and bone marrow boosting injections in his legs.  

At the time of the theft, Candlelighters said on Facebook: 'A sad day at Candlelighters. We now have to replace four laptops and a DVD player in our pavilion. Stolen some time in the past few days.

'We love being able to make the stay in hospital a little easier for our families, so please accept our apologies and we will fix it very soon.' 

Generous members of the public, moved by Callum's story, have helped raise more than £20,000 on his JustGiving page. 

The couple, from Keighley, also have three other children.

Facing trial: Leeds General Infirmary, from which the couple are alleged to have stolen the goods. They will appear at Leeds Magistrates Court on November 18

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: 'Two people have been charged to appear in court following an investigation into the theft of electrical items from a children's cancer unit at Leeds General Infirmary. 

'The charges relate to the theft of laptop computers and other items from the unit in July this year.'

The pair are due to appear at Leeds Magistrates Court on November 18.

Business Against Crime in Leeds (BACIL) donated six tablet computers to the two children's cancer wards last month after being approached by officers at the City Neighbourhood Policing Team.  

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