Victim, 82, ‘petrified’ by ‘crazy’ burglar
HOUSE RAIDER HAD SMOKED DRUGS AND DRUNK BOOZE
A BURGLAR smoked mamba and drank booze before burgling the home of an 82-year-old pensioner who was “petrified”, a court heard.
Katherine Mcalmont, 30, was outside the woman’s home when she returned with her shopping at midday on June 5.
Mcalmont asked her about a previous resident but the victim said the resident had moved away, Nottingham Crown Court heard.
She asked how old the woman was and she replied “82” before she went inside her home and left the door chain on.
After removing cigarettes from her bag and cash, the victim went upstairs. Then she heard a loud bang downstairs and saw Mcalmont heading up the stairs in a rage.
She waved her arms around and was described as looking “crazy angry”, leaving the pensioner terrified and her heart pounding.
The pensioner asked what she wanted but Mcalmont told her to “shut up” and her speech was slurred.
The pensioner shouted out of the window for help. The defendant shouted aggressively for her to “shut up” and pushed her backwards with open palms to her chest.
The court heard the victim was “petrified”.
Mcalmont, of Lorne Walk, St Ann’s, ran out with £50 and grabbed two packets of cigarettes.
She pleaded guilty to burglary at the pensioner’s home. The address was not read out in court.
Benn Robinson, mitigating, said Mcalmont has an addiction to Class-a drugs and was not able to hold down a legitimate job.
Before the burglary, she smoked mamba and drank alcohol, then went to the complex looking for an old acquaintance and not for the purpose of burglary.
She has been in custody since June and has completely detoxified herself, added Mr Robinson.
Recorder Richard Davis told Mcalmont the impact on the victim “can’t be underestimated”.
“You took £50 lying on the kitchen table, some cigarettes and ran way. It seems to me you were clearly under the influence of drugs at the time.
“I am satisfied there wasn’t deliberate targeting of this victim. She was, to some extent, in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
He said Mcalmont had been taking Class-a drugs for ten years and this incident and two months on remand had given her some intention to do something about it. She has been admitted to go on a drug rehabilitation programme.
He gave her nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months. The Recorder said his reason for that was that he believed there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation along the lines suggested by the probation service.
Additionally, she was given a sixmonth drug rehabilitation requirement and 30 rehabilitation activity days.