Pair took advantage of a vulnerable man, court told

Colin David Aaron Hawthorne (26), of Newlyn Terrace and Dawn Robinson (27), with an address in Limavady, pleaded guilty to burglary on October 31, last year.

Londonderry Crown Court, sitting before Judge Philip Babington, heard that at the time Robinson lived next door to the injured party at Waveney Park.

The court was told the injured party phoned police in the early hours of the morning to report that someone had broken into his house.

The prosecution said he said he was too afraid to move.

Police found Robinson in the kitchen and she claimed she was getting coffee because she had none at home.

Hawthorn was discovered in the living room.

Officers searched a bag Robinson was carrying and they discovered a jar of coffee, a bottle of red sauce and painkillers.

Passing sentence Judge Phillip Babington said domestic burglaries were always a serious matter. He said the burglary was particularly nasty and very callous given that both defendants knew the injured party and knew he was vulnerable.

However, he said he did not believe the victim was targeted because of his vulnerability but the burglary was ‘opportunistic’.

Judge Babington said the pair were intending to steal the injured party’s medication for their own use and he jailed Hawthorn for three years and nine months and imposed a jail term of two years and three months on Robinson.

Both defendants will spend half their sentence in custody and the remainder on licence.