Tricked by addicts in own home

The 57-year-old victim was threatened with a knife in his own living room.

Prosecuting at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday, Neil Smith said Stacey Emma Williamson and Gareth Smith knocked on the door of Robert Smith’s bungalow in Manor Way, Staincliffe on February 8.

Williamson, 23, asked if someone called Johnny or Jimmy was in, and Robert Smith said they weren’t.

She then asked if the pair could go inside so she could use his toilet.

Once inside, she asked to borrow money. Robert Smith, who suffers heart problems, refused, but did allow Williamson to use his mobile phone.

Prosecutor Neil Smith said Gareth Smith, 30, grabbed a knife from the coffee table, pinned his victim up against a window and waved the knife in front of his face.

Robert Smith handed over a £20 note and £18 in change. The pair ran from the house, also taking the victim’s keys and mobile phone.

Robert Smith was later taken to hospital suffering angina and a panic attack.

The pair were arrested on February 20. They pleaded not guilty to theft and robbery but changed their plea on the day of a trial in August.

Williamson, of Marsland Street in Eastmoor, Wakefield, asked for two more counts of theft to be taken into account from December 24 2010 and February 9 2011.

Mitigating for Williamson, Matthew Harding said she wanted to end her addiction to drugs, and had wanted to apologise to her victim.

Mitigating for Gareth Smith, of Mulberry Place in Ryhill, Wakefield, Adam Birkby said: “There is genuine remorse for what he’s done. He is not simply a man feeling sorry for himself, he is sorry for what he has done to this elderly and quite sickly gentleman.”

Sentencing Williamson, Judge Alistair McCallum said: “You have led a fairly miserable existence going in and out of people’s homes to steal small amounts of money which no doubt caused them a great deal of grief, all because you are addicted to the very awful drug heroin.”

She was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

Gareth Smith was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

Judge McCallum said: “You will be out of prison in a reasonably short time but another robbery like this and we will be throwing the key away.”