the uncle of a boy killed by a school minibus who went door to door making a fake collection in his nephew's name, has avoided jail neil stokes asked people for donation to go towards flowers for the funeral of 15 year old ashley talbot however, the teen's parents knew nothing of the £75 collection which was then pocketed by the 42 year old recovering heroin addict stokes' own mother inadvertently reported him to the police after learning someone was knocking on doors asking for money   unaware the person was in fact her son neil stokes, 42, pictured left, set up a fake collection after his nephew ashley talbot, 15, pictured right, was knocked down and killed by a minibus  the 42 year old of porthcawl, south wales, later handed himself in the following day and initially told officers he needed to pay off a drugs debt however, he later changed his story saying he wanted to keep the collection a surprise for his grieving sister following a trial at magistrates court, he was convicted of fraudulently making false representations stokes' nephew, ashley died after he was accidentally hit by a minibus  being driven by pe teacher, chris brooks, at maesteg comprehensive school, in bridgend, just before christmas at the time his family described him as a 'typical teenager, a practical joker with a wicked infectious laugh' they said: 'he would brighten the darkest of rooms with his smile and sense of humour ashley will be missed so much by everyone, but will be with us forever in our memories' stokes' had previous been warned that he could face jail   but magistrates' decided against custody after being told his sister had suffered enough already defending barrister david sedgwick said: 'she is the victim in thisshe has lost her son and now does not want to lose her brother to a jail sentence' after being released from custody, the court heard stokes gave the money to his sister and the money was spent on flowers for ashley's funeral presiding magistrate jane thorpe said stokes had acted dishonestly and had 'ample opportunity' to hand over the money sooner ashley's family described him as a 'typical teenager, a practical joker with a wicked infectious laugh' pictured: ashley talbot  he was handed a 12 month community order as well as being told to pay £250 costs towards the prosecution speaking after the sentencing hearing ashley's mother, melanie, described her brother's 'betrayal' as 'disgusting' 'the last time i saw him was when his bail restrictions were relaxed,' said the 43 year old 'he came up to the house and said he wanted to apologise at ashley's grave 'so i took him to the grave and he placed some flowers and said nothing 'at that point i told my husband i didn't want him around us again ashley was hit by a minibus in the grounds of maesteg comprehensive school, bridgend  the devastated woman discovered what her brother had been doing through friends who had generously reached into their pockets 'he is an idiot for doing what he did, i am absolutely disgusted that he was using the money to pay for drugs,' she said 'years ago i knew he was taking drugs but i thought he had been clean for a number of years 'i have barely seen my brother since it all happened my mother begged me to go and see her on christmas day, but i told her i couldn't because he was there'
ashley talbot,15 neil stokes stokes ashley
ashley talbot,15, died after being run over by his school minibus . his uncle went door to door asking people for donations towards funeral . neil stokes, 42, used the money he collected to pay off his drug debt . he was found guilty of fraud by false representation by magistrates . they sentenced stokes to a 12 month community order following trial . ashley's mother said she was 'disgusted' by her brother's 'betrayal'