Stephen Hudson, 56, of Rishworthian Court, Copley, Halifax, surrounded himself with the radios – putting his favourite one in the middle – and often had them all on at the same time, a court heard.

Hudson forged his 71-year-old partner Elizabeth Whitehead's signature on cheques made out to himself. A total of £14,916 was taken from her account between 2004 and 2007, while she was a resident in Woodfield Grange Nursing Home, Woodfield Drive, Greet-land.

John Bull, prosecuting, said Hudson had admitted to Mrs Whitehead's son he had taken the money and spent it all on radios.

Police found about 50 wireless sets in his home.

Mr Bull said: "He used the money to buy radios – two black bin liners with radios in them were produced." Hudson admitted three offences of forgery, three of using a false instrument and asked for a further 93 similar offences to be taken into consideration. Bradford Crown Court heard Hudson had suffered from an obsessive compulsive disorder for 30 years. It manifested itself in him buying radios.

Mr Bull said the couple met nine years ago when Hudson worked for a taxi company and she was a customer.

Mr Bull said Mrs Whitehead would initially sign the cheques but Hudson began to fill in greater amounts and started forging her signature.

Jonathan Gibson, for Hudson, said it was an "unusual and exceptional" case.

He said Hudson had suffered from an obsessive compulsive disorder for many years and often surrounded himself with radios, putting them all on at the same time.

"There is a history of hiding radios and disposing of them," said Mr Gibson.

Recorder Peter Babb said: "In the ordinary course of events that sort of breach of trust would result in a prison sentence for obvious reasons."

He said Hudson had taken advantage of the situation but said he could draw back from custody in his case.

"It was not frittered away – it was spent on radios which you had a compulsion to purchase," Recorder Babb said. Hudson was given an 18-month community order with supervision.