Burglar’s threats to kill his victim, 80

A HAMMER-WIELDING burglar barged into the home of an 80-year-old pensioner, knocked him to the ground, kicked him to the chest and threatened to kill him during a terrifying break-in.

Nottingham Crown Court heard how, as he lay on the ground, the victim bravely tried to fight off Connor Cooper by hitting him with his walking stick.

The 22-year-old defendant searched the house but left empty-handed, eventually smashing a window to escape.

Jailing him for four years, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC said: “It is unfortunate that your mother died and that you have little to do with your family at all having assaulted your father repeatedly over the years that you have.

“If she were in the public gallery she would no doubt be sad at what you are doing with your life - throwing it away. “You have written a letter to the court in which you said the reason you did this was to pay a drug debt. On that evening you were wearing a mask and gloves and you chose to pick up a weapon – a hammer – and you knew yourself this was an old man who was living at the address who you thought would not give you any trouble.

“In fact he tried to stop you, for which he is to be commended, by hitting you with his stick as he lay on the ground, after you had hit and kicked him and threatened to kill him. To say you did not know what you were doing just does not wash.

“You took a calculated risk so you could get in and out of the property without disturbing him.” Lauren Fisher, prosecuting, said the burglary took place in Brandon Close, Balderton, Newark, on January 28. As the victim was going to bed he heard “two loud bangs” and went to his front door where the defendant barged in, hitting the man and knocking him to the ground.

“As he was on the floor the defendant kicked him to the chest and said ‘stay there or I will kill you’.”

In a statement the pensioner said he was “petrified” by the ordeal and “having visions of a hammer coming between his eyeballs”. Cooper, of Parliament Court, Newark, denied any involvement when he was arrested but later pleaded guilty to burglary and has a record of 10 convictions for 33 burglaries. Andrew Wesley, mitigating, said: “He knows it will be a custodial sentence today of some length.”