A burglar repeatedly invited herself into the home of a wheelchair user so that she could steal from him.
Colleen Shaw targeted the same wheelchair-bound man three times – entering his flat without permission each time.
The first intrusion happened on 17 January last year, with Shaw walking into the St Ann’s flat and sitting down on the sofa – having ignored the man’s requests to leave.
She then proceeded to start cleaning his home without being asked to, before stealing a phone and cash from the vulnerable man as soon as his back was turned.
Shaw would go on to take advantage of the man once again a few weeks later, on 7 February, after tricking him into opening his door by claiming she needed to use the toilet.
The 51-year-old once again strode into the property and refused to leave until the victim – who was unable to overpower her because of his condition and ill health – pulled his lifeline cord to gain assistance.
It wasn’t until the following morning that the man realised his wallet had been stolen, by which point Shaw had already used his bank card to purchase items from multiple shops.
The burglar then targeted the man a third time in the early hours of 4 April – this time inviting herself into his flat while he was sleeping and stealing a phone and bank card. She again duly used this to buy tobacco for herself.
Having been identified as the person responsible for the series of offences, Shaw managed to evade police until 15 May last year, when she was spotted by neighbourhood policing officers in St Ann’s and placed under arrest.
Shaw, of Luther Close, St Ann’s, was duly charged with three counts of burglary and three counts of fraud by false representation.
Having pleaded guilty to each offence, Shaw attended Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (9 July), where she was sentenced to six years behind bars.
She was also made the subject of a 10-year restraining order banning her from contacting the man in any way or from going within 50 metres of him. Should Shaw breach this order, she risks a further prison sentence of up to five years.
Detective Constable James Bravant, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“We’re pleased to see Shaw has now been rightly jailed for several years for her despicable actions.
“She knew very well that the man she chose to target had vulnerabilities and yet decided to repeatedly take advantage of this for her own financial gain.
“On no less than three separate occasions, Shaw either tricked her way into or invited herself inside this man’s home, before refusing to leave until she’d pocketed items that belonged to him.
“To make matters worse, she then immediately used bank cards she’d taken from him to spend his money buying things for herself.
“As I say, her behaviour was utterly reprehensible and deserving of a spell behind bars, so we hope this news provides the victim with some small degree of comfort.”
