June 28, 2016 3.57 pm This story is over 93 months old

Lincoln drug addicts jailed for mugging pensioner in pre-planned attack

Two Lincoln drug addicts who mugged a 77-year-old pensioner as he walked home in the early hours of the morning have been jailed. Sarah Bexley, of Gaunt Street, Lincoln, and Luke Norton, of Arthur Street, Lincoln, each denied robbery on November 16, 2015 but were found guilty by a jury following a trial. Bexley, who…
Gaunt Street in Lincoln. Photo: Google Street View

Two Lincoln drug addicts who mugged a 77-year-old pensioner as he walked home in the early hours of the morning have been jailed.

Sarah Bexley, of Gaunt Street, Lincoln, and Luke Norton, of Arthur Street, Lincoln, each denied robbery on November 16, 2015 but were found guilty by a jury following a trial.

Bexley, who had a number of previous convictions for dishonesty, was jailed for five years at Lincoln Crown Court on June 28.

Norton, who had no past convictions, was jailed for four and a half years.

The court heard that Bexley, 40, and her accomplice Norton, 28, lay in wait for their victim as he made his way from the city centre back to his home after withdrawing cash from an ATM machine.

Richard Sheldon, prosecuting, said that victim Peter Horry had reached Gaunt Street off the city’s High Street when the pair attacked him.

Mr Sheldon told a jury: “Mr Horry left his home shortly before midnight to go to his bank in the Cornhill. It was a quiet night. He took out £200 and put his card in his wallet and put the cash into his jacket pocket.

“He set about walking home and reached Gaunt Street shortly after midnight.

“Out of the blue some-one pushed him causing him to fall to the floor. When he was on the ground his arm was pushed up his back and he heard a female voice saying ‘get his wallet’.

“Peter Horry tried to shout for help. That was met with the male putting his hand over Mr Horry’s mouth to silence him. Then the money was taken from his jacket pocket and the robbers ran away.”

The pensioner made his way home from where a friend called police.

He told officers he recognised the woman’s voice as that of Bexley whom he knew and had previously regarded as a friend.

Police searching the area came across Bexley and Norton near to the scene of the robbery.

Norton was searched and found to have £225 cash on him.

Judge John Pini QC, passing sentence, told them: “You were lying in wait to rob him, no doubt because of the drug addiction you both suffered from. There was significant planning to this offence. Mr Horry was targeted because of his vulnerability.”

Sunil Khanna, for Bexley, told the court: “Drugs have blighted her life. She has committed offences in the past to feed her drug addiction.

“Since the date of this offence she has stabilised. She tells me she is not using drugs any more.”

Stephen Mather, for Norton, said he had been in steady work until 2014.

“It all went horribly wrong for him. He couldn’t find work and fell into drug addiction.

“His family are very supportive. He intends to stay off drugs when he is released.”