Heroin addicts beat dementia sufferer, 86, to get cash for drugs

The gang of three struck after tricking their way into the high rise home of the vulnerable man, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

He was left battered and bruised as they fled with his wallet containing a bus pass, bank card and unspecified amount of cash, said Miss Jabeen Akhtar, prosecuting.

Neighbours in the Walsall block of flats were horrified when he appeared on their doorstep with blood running down his face and his empty pockets turned inside out.

"He was confused and upset but said he had heard the lady shouting 'grab him' and 'get his pockets,'" revealed Miss Akhtar.

Kerry Wilkes, 32, knew the pensioner and was captured on CCTV walking into the flats block with the victim. She then held the electronically-controlled main door open to allow 30-year-old Craig Powis and Wilfred Clarke aged 33, to follow them. The victim took the lift to his floor while the others used the stairs.

Twenty minutes later Wilkes was filmed by a security camera walking back out of the building four minutes before the two men.

The trio spent the money buying heroin while the victim was treated for cuts and bruises following the robbery of October 6 in 2013. The court heard his condition had significantly deteriorated since the incident.

All three defendants had previous convictions and Mr Stephen Cadwaladr, defending Clarke, said: "What motivated this nasty offence was that he and Wilkes were both addicted to heroin and would pursue any means to obtain the money required to get their daily fix.

"What happened in the flat was spontaneous. It had been thought that Wilkes could persuade the injured party to give them money. He suffered unpleasant but not very serious physical injuries."

Mr William Dudley, representing Powis, added: "This incident stems from the best part of two decades of drug abuse. If he had been anywhere near his right state of mind he would not have dreamt of committing an offence like this."

Mr Christopher O'Gorman, for Wilkes, said the crime had served as a wake up call prompting those responsible to make a serious effort to change their life style.

Powis, of Darlaston road, Pleck was jailed for ten years, Wilkes of Roebuck Glade, Willenhall received a nine year sentence while Clarke from Sheridan Street, Walsall was locked up for eight years. All admitted robbery.

Judge Michael Challinor told them: "A very vulnerable man was robbed while alone in his own home. He suffered significant facial injuries and it is clear he was struck several times during a violent incident which left his flat in disarray.

"The fact that none of you accepts responsibility for the violence does not matter since you were each willing to be engaged in this and it was a joint enterprise."