Widow, 89, helpless as burglar steals jewellery in Torquay - BBC News
An 89-year-old widow watched from her bed, unable to move, as Dean Lennox stole her wedding ring.
CCTV from the victim's bedroom showed her eyes following Lennox's movements

A burglar has been jailed for breaking into the home of an 89-year-old stroke patient who watched helplessly as he stole her jewellery.

Dean Lennox took the widow's wedding ring and late husband's wallet from her supported accommodation in Torquay, Devon last month.

Lennox, 40, of Torquay, admitted burglary and was jailed for three years and four months at Exeter Crown Court.

The judge told him his crime left the victim "scared and fearful".

The woman, who is incapable of speech or movement, woke up during the burglary and CCTV from her bedroom showed her eyes following Lennox's movements.

Lennox sold the ring and other jewellery at a local shop for £45 a few hours later and dumped the wallet outside after finding nothing worth stealing inside.

The victim's daughter told the court her mother now struggles to sleep and spends hours awake trying to look around her room.

Dean Lennox has been jailed for three years and four months

Lennox targeted the supported accommodation in Torquay after scouting it earlier in the day while posing as a window cleaner, and discovering the flats were all occupied by vulnerable elderly women.

Judge David Evans told him: "This is one of the worst domestic burglaries I have seen for a long time. The victim had suffered a stroke and was immobile and mute.

"She was able to look on in what must have been terror and you burgled her property and she was utterly helpless to do anything about it.

"She is in the twilight of her life and you have left her scared and fearful in her disabled state."

The court heard Lennox tried to sabotage security cameras but one filmed him searching the bedroom and sent the images to the victim's daughter's phone, where she found them when she woke up.

Lennox stole £90 cash and three rings, which he sold at a jewellery shop to get money to buy drugs.

Miss Kelly Scrivener, defending, said Lennox is ashamed of his actions and determined to overcome his drug problems while in prison.

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