A Maryport woman who stole cash and belongings as she sneaked into the town homes of two pensioners has been jailed.
Louise Barber, 36, first went to a woman’s address between 3pm and 4pm and claimed to be looking for a friend, Carlisle Crown Court heard today.
Barber asked the 76-year-old grandmother for £2 bus fare which the woman said she would give her. Barber replied: “You are very kind. You don’t get many kind people in the world today.”
The woman also got a bottle of water for Barber, who repaid the kindness by making off with a purse — containing £135 and contents — which had been put down. The woman discovered the theft soon after and recognised Barber when her granddaughter later showed her a Facebook photo.
Barber then went on to commit another crime at a house nearby between 8pm and 8.30pm when a 96-year-old Parkinson’s disease sufferer found her at the top of stairs.
She asked that woman for £2 but was rebuffed both by the pensioner and then a carer who had returned to the property.
Barber was found to have stolen £4.50 cash which had been left on a ledge in the property, prompting the carer to tell her: “You’ve got enough now, so sod off.”
Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson said the carer had outlined the impact on the vulnerable householder. “The distress that she witnessed in fact continued on the next day with her not eating anything and still appearing very worried,” said Mr Rogerson.
The householder herself had provided an impact statement, saying: “I still get that fear that she is going to come back. What really upsets me is that I didn’t hear her.”
Barber was now said by her lawyer to be horrified by the opportunistic offences she had committed while addicted to drugs and having hit rock bottom.
A former office manager, she admitted two burglaries and was sentenced by Judge Richard Archer, who imposed a 32-month prison sentence.
He told Barber, of Eaglesfield Street, Maryport,: “Your victims in each case were elderly women. That much was obvious to you at the time as you had significant interaction with the victims of your offending.
“These were mean and despicable offences. You certainly were not a kind person in this world.”
