A THIEF and burglar with a history of preying on the old and frail is starting an 11-year prison sentence for the “wicked robbery” of an elderly woman in her own home.

Paul Dennis Bradshaw and an unknown accomplice barged into the mid-terrace house, in Horden, uninvited, at about 7pm on September 23.

Durham Crown Court heard that while Bradshaw “manhandled” the 81-year-old, covering her mouth to prevent her screaming, his sidekick carried out an untidy search, opening drawers and cupboards, before they left with her purse.

Bradshaw was arrested after a DNA sample from round the victim’s mouth, gave a positive match.

The 48-year-old defendant, of Elgin Road, Hartlepool, denied robbery and claimed the householder invited him in to talk about house repairs.

He claimed the forensic match must have been achieved by a secondary transfer after he had a cup of tea at the house earlier that day.

During his trial at the court last week, a forensic expert said the DNA evidence recovered from the victim’s mouth suggested direct contact by Bradshaw was the “more likely” explanation.

That evidence was repeated to the jury after they asked to hear it again amid deliberations on Friday.

Shortly afterwards they returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

Glenn Gatland, prosecuting, then read through much of Bradshaw’s 33-year criminal record, featuring 59 offences, including several previously for theft and burglary at homes of elderly and dementia sufferers.

Mr Gatland said Bradshaw was also to be sentenced after a conviction for fraud, from Teesside Crown Court, relating to an 82-year-old Middlesbrough man who he "persuaded" to withdraw £200 from his bank to pay for house repairs that were never carried out, in January last year.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said the use of force, even at the level seen in this case, was not a feature of the defendant’s criminal history.

Passing sentence, Judge James Adkin told Bradshaw: “This was a wicked robbery of a vulnerable 81-year-old.

“You’re a man who makes a living targeting the elderly, some with intimidation.”

He issued a lifetime restraining order prohibiting Bradshaw from approaching or contacting the victim and recommended he should be forbidden from entering Horden as a condition of his post-sentence licence supervision.

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