A burglar broke into a man's home and viciously attacked him with a golf club.
Shaun Wrigley, 37, attacked his victim, before reaching into his wheelchair and stealing his wallet. He then apologised to the man, who was unable to defend himself as he had no legs.
Wrigley then volunteered to leave his hand print on a plate to ensure he could be caught, Preston Crown Court heard. Judge Graham Knowles QC sentenced the intruder to 11 years for the robbery and an assault on a woman in a safe house in Liverpool, LancsLive reports.
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Rachel Woods, prosecuting, said on March 23, Wrigley's victim and his partner were watching TV in their flat when Wrigley walked in to the living room. He demanded cash and was holding a golf club above his head.
The man was sitting on the sofa unable to move when Wrigley attacked him with the club. The man put his arms over his head to protect himself and suffered a cut to his left hand. The man repeatedly told Wrigley he did not have any money.
Wrigley told him: "I just need £200. I know I'm going back to prison."
The victim's partner shouted at Wrigley to get out of the flat, and managed to calm him down. Wrigley offered his hand out to apologise to the man, telling him: "I'm very sorry. I didn't realise you were disabled."
He leaned forward to give the man a hug, but reached into his wheelchair, which was next to the sofa, and snatched his wallet. When the man protested, Wrigley insisted he had not stolen the wallet and offered up his bag to be searched.
The wallet was not there, but two bank cards which did not belong to Wrigley, were inside, Ms Woods said. The man's partner described Wrigley's behaviour as "bizarre", saying after the robbery he offered to put his hand print on a plate to leave his fingerprints at the scene.
She called the police, who checked the CCTV and located Wrigley at another house a few days later. Wrigley gave a false name and address when he was arrested but was caught when his prints were matched to the plate.
In a statement, the victim said: "I am disabled. I have no legs. I could not defend myself from the attack. It is despicable, what he did to me."
Jonathan Woodward, defending, said Wrigley's best mitigation was his guilty pleas to burglary with intent to steal, assault and theft. He said the defendant showed remorse and contrition to a probation officer, who described him as "immoral and cowardly".
Ms Woods said Wrigley also attacked a woman who was placed in a safe house due to previous violence from him, after a social services blunder resulted in him being given her address. During the attack, Wrigley punched the woman to the ground, strangled her and bit her, leaving her black and blue.
She said: "My address is supposed to be a safe house. I have a horrible history with him. It is adding to my depression and anxiety."
Judge Knowles QC said the offences were aggravated by Wrigley's use of drink or drugs and the fact he was on the run after being released from prison. He was supposed to live at approved premises under supervision, but had left prison and returned to his criminal lifestyle immediately, the court heard.
He sentenced Wrigley, of Bridge Street, Liverpool, to eight years for the robbery in Blackpool and three years for causing actual bodily harm (ABH) to the woman.
Det Sgt Stuart Reid, of Blackpool Targeted Crime Team said: “This was a particular nasty crime, where a vulnerable victim has been left with injuries to his hand. The victims showed impeccable resilience in the face of such aggression towards them in their home.
"The officers who attended this incident supported the victims in the best way, by quickly locating and arresting Wrigley. Their professional response on the night and swift actions has taken Wrigley off our streets. Our community is without doubt that little bit safer as a result.”
