A retired teacher who took pity on a woman when she told him she was homeless was later burgled by her.
Sarah Pepper, 39, abused the man’s kindness by going back to his Bedford flat and stealing £70, his bank card and keys.
Prosecutor Zafreen Chowdhury told Luton Crown Court on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, that on September 10, 2020, the 77-year-old man had finished watching the six o’clock news and went out for some fresh air.
Ms Chowdhury said: “Ms Pepper approached him and said she was homeless and pregnant. She asked for coffee and sat on his sofa in his flat. She stayed for 15 minutes and the victim gave her £30 for food and shelter.
“Three hours later, at 9.30pm, she rang his doorbell and entered without permission. “She said: ‘I can sense you don’t really want me here and ran out.”
When the victim checked a bedside drawer, that had been pulled out, he found the cash, debit card and keys had gone.
She was arrested the next day on an unconnected matter. On her the police found the man’s Bedford Borough Council pass. She told the police: “I have never done a burglary in my life.”
Pepper of Fenlake Road, Bedford appeared for sentence having been convicted by the magistrates’ court of burglary.
She had 17 previous convictions for 51 offences, including the robbery of two elderly women. In a victim personal statement the man said: “This incident has made me angry and I feel stupid. I only tried to help the lady, who took advantage of my age and vulnerability. I feel I can no longer trust people.”
Defending, Sarah Taylor said Pepper, who cried in the dock, had been on methadone to keep off drugs, but was still struggling with alcohol abuse. She said the burglary was opportunist and of short duration.
She said: “Her mental health has not been fully addressed in the past. This offence is nearly a year old and there has been nothing since. She had spent the previous six years out of trouble.
“She has been on a strict 8pm to 6am curfew and has not been able to see her family in Lincolnshire.
She was not able to attend her grandmother’s funeral.”
Judge Rebecca Herbert told her: “You were convicted of a nasty, mean offence of burglary.
“You were invited in by a 77-year-old man out of the kindness of his heart “He gave you coffee and money. He took pity on you.
“You abused his hospitality and kindness – you went back, sneaked in and took money and cards. You took advantage of him.”
The judge said she was going to give her the chance to get off drink by passing a suspended sentence with rehabilitation days, but warned her the sentence could be activated if she reoffended or did not do what probation ordered her.
She passed a 12 months sentence suspended for 18 months with 30 rehabilitation days.
