Junkie who attacked pensioner spared jail sentence

Mar 19 2010 by Alison Lowson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A JUNKIE who attacked and robbed a vulnerable Perth pensioner in his own home was spared a jail sentence at the Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Instead, Tracey Shields (29) was ordered to be tagged and to stay in her Primrose Crescent home from 7pm-7am for the next eight months.

Sheriff Robert McCreadie told her: “I can hardly imagine a more despicable and squalid theft from a frail, elderly man.”

The 72-year-old, who previously had a stroke and uses a zimmer, lives alone in council-run sheltered accommodation.

The court heard that he had previously been targeted by younger people, particularly females.

Despite that, he allowed Shields and co-accused Sara Townley, also of Primrose Crescent, into his home.

They were asked to leave after one of them took cigarettes from an unopened packet on a table.

But they seized him by the body and pushed him to the ground, causing him to strike his back off a stool.

Shields then walked over to him, while he was still lying on the floor, went into his trouser pocket, removed his purse and took a £5 note from it.

She also helped herself to a quantity of change, stated depute fiscal Julie McAra. His cigarettes and lighter were also stolen from a telephone stand before they fled.

“He managed to pull himself up to his chair and dialled 999 to summon the police,” she added.

Shields was later traced and taken to Perth Police HQ where she was found in possession of £8.74, in similar denominations to the cash that had been stolen.

The victim suffered an abrasion to his back but no medical treatment was required.

Solicitor Mike Tavendale said the accused had been a heroin addict for the past 12 years but had only one previous conviction for possession of a Class A drug.

She had been staying with her co-accused, who was also a drug addict. It was Townley who suggested they go and visit the victim.

“She was led into this by the co-accused who told her she regularly received money from the complainer,” said the solicitor.

“She was encouraged to go along with Miss Townley for that purpose.”

Townley grabbed hold of the pensioner when he asked them to leave and she shouted at Shields to grab his wallet, who did so “in panic”.

Warning Shields that she was at the custodial threshold, Sheriff McCreadie said: “I take account that the main impetus seems to have come from your co-accused. Nevertheless, you participated to the extent that you went there and took the money.”

Shields and Townley earlier admitted the assault and theft of the items at a house in the Hillyland area of the city last October 7.

Townley was previously jailed for 12 months for her part in the incident.