Thaindian News

London, June 8 (IANS) A violent burglar, who often targetted elderly women, has been awarded a punishment of 15 years in prison, a media report said.

The jail term, a year longer than the maximum sentence for house burglary, was handed to Leonard Johnston, 49, for three serious break-ins and assaults on two of his victims, Daily Mail reported Wednesday.

Johnston, a heroin addict, had told one 63-year-old victim that he would “smash her face in” and tried to gouge the eyes of another person, 68, who tried to capture him.

In one such burglary, Johnston stole 24,000 pounds-worth of jewellery from a 77-year-old widow, and ransacked her house. Victim Patricia Hanes, who had been on holiday when her house was broken into, died two months later.

Johnston was arrested after two burglaries in Louth, Lincolnshire county of Britain.

With an accomplice, he broke into the home of Vivienne Hallburg, 63, and threatened her until she handed over keys to the house of neighbouring woman Cynthia Sellick.

On return, Sellick found the burglar and confronted him. Johnston slipped but when Sellick tried to hold him down, he bit her finger and tried to gouge out her eyes.

But her screams drew neighbours who held the burglar until police arrived.

The court heard he had jail sentences awarded totalling 30 years for offences over three decades.

Judge Morris told him: “Prison has done no good. You have received other types of disposal which did you no good … you are dangerous.

“People in the latter years of their lives are entitled to live in safety and dignity.

“The courts will protect them from professional criminals like you.”

Johnston received three years for the Hanes burglary, seven for the Hallburg offence and five for the Sellick incident. He was given two years, to run concurrently, for two assaults.