Thief assaulted and robbed woman, 70
AMAN who robbed a 70-year-old woman at knifepoint in her home was branded as “despicable” by a judge. At the High Court in Glasgow on Friday 36-year-old Christopher McCormick admitted assaulting and robbing the pensioner at a house in Ibrox Terrace, Glasgow on January 19.
The pensioner, who was living along at the time, as her husband was in hospital, was traumatic by the incident.
Judge Lord Mulholland told McCormick, who appeared via a video link from prison: “This was a despicable crime to assault at knifepoint an elderly woman and rob her. You can expect a lengthy sentence.”
McCormick, from Glasgow, rang her doorbell around 6.15am and she opened the door to him thinking it was one of her carers.
He walked inside the house saying he needed to get warm and then took a cup of coffee offered to him by the woman before producing a knife and rummaging through her home grabbing items.
The court heard that he was snared by DNA found on the coffee cup.
Prosecutor Eric Robertson said: “He put on gloves and took three birthdays card each with a £20 note inside and a £20 note from a table.
“He then took another knife from the kitchen and told her to go upstairs with him. He searched through a jewellery box removed items including two pearl necklaces belonging to her mother.”
McCormick also took an electronic tablet, bank cards, medication, a mobile phone and a box of cigars from the house.
The court heard that McCormick stabbed a photograph of the woman’s nephew and the back of a chair during the ordeal.
He also tried to force her to sign a cheque for £500 and tell him her PIN numbers for her bank cards and said he would tie her up.
McCormick eventually left. The victim’s husband became worried when she was not answering her mobile phone and asked a relative to go round to her home.
She was in her nightdress and upset and crying. She was uninjured but traumatised by her ordeal.
Defence counsel Euan Dow said: “He recognises the seriousness of the offence.”
Lord Mulholland deferred sentence until September for background reports and remanded McCormick in custody.