old,North Wales - Despicable' Mold burglar jailed after trying to rob elderly woman in street

Published date: 18 February 2016 | 

Published by: Staff reporter
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A MAN convicted of attempting to rob an elderly woman in the street has been jailed – and told that he had acted in “a despicable way”.

Judge Niclas Parry told Danny John Burrows that he had said in his own words during evidence that robbing an elderly woman in the street was one of the worst crimes that could be committed.

That was correct and he had left a vulnerable 77-year-old woman shaken. “You saw her, you targeted her, you followed her and you attacked her,” the judge said.

But the victim was a brave woman of some fortitude “who was more than a match for you” when he tried to snatch her bag, the judge told him.

Burrows fled empty-handed when she resisted.

The judge said he took into consideration that it was a short incident, no actual violence had been used, and the moment she resisted, he left and nothing was taken.

Ten days before the attempted robbery he had burgled a family home in Mold and stolen a mini motorcycle, which was recently purchased as a birthday gift.

Burrows received 18 months for attempted robbery and an additional six months for the house burglary, which he admitted, making two years in all.

The jury at Mold Crown Court heard how the victim was subjected to the attempted robbery as she arrived home in the rain after a shopping trip.

She was just about to put her key in the door when she was approached by Burrows who tried to snatch her bag.

Burrows, 25, of Maes y March in Mold, denied attempting to rob the woman at Conwy Street in Mold on August 22.

Prosecuting barrister Frances Willmott said the complainant had been into town on a Saturday and was walking home with her shopping when the incident occurred.

Burrows had been at the local

Co-op store at the same time as the woman and had followed her.

As she approached her home, Burrows tried to take her bag saying “I need money. I want your bag.”

He took hold of the handle but he released his grip on the bag and ran off when she refused to let go.

Later interviewed, Burrows said he would not rob anyone.

“I would not rob a woman in her 70s. I wouldn’t do that. I with live with my Nanna,” he said. He denied he wanted money and told an officer he had “loads of money.”

The woman had not seen his facial features because he had his hood up.

The prosecutor said CCTV at Ysgol Maes Garmon showed the defendant running into the school grounds after the incident.

Police had checked and the defendant had been seen in the Co-op store about half-an-hour earlier and was there at the same time as the complainant.

CCTV in the town centre showed the same person walking around the town centre.

Arrested on August 28 he denied he had anything to do with the robbery.

Interviewed, he said he had been in Conwy Street at the time and if he had seen her would probably had said hello.

He said the person running to the school grounds looked like him and if it was, he would have been on the way to see a friend and was running because it was raining.

In evidence Burrows said it was not him on the CCTV and claimed that while he had gone through the school grounds that day, it had been by a different entrance.

In September, police went to his girlfriend’s address to return a phone but saw clothing outside the front door, including a blue Nike jacket which the officer believed was related to the robbery. The top was seized and the prosecutor said there were a number of similarities between it and that seen on the CCTV.

After the conviction, Myles Wilson, defending, said that while it would clearly have been a distressing incident, it was short, no actual violence was used over and above pulling at the bag, and he had resisted immediately.

The burglary occurred when a mini motorcycle valued at £495 was stolen.

It was alleged that Burrows had later spoken to the victim, encouraged him to report the matter to the police and asked how a burglar could have got in?

l Following sentencing yesterday, DC Ross Tutton said: “Most right-minded people would find the idea that a 25-year-old man would attempt to rob a vulnerable elderly woman, absolutely disgusting. North Wales Police is pleased that Burrows has been put behind bars and will be off the streets for some time.”

see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/158727/-despicable-mold-burglar-jailed-after-trying-to-rob-elderly-woman-in-street.aspx