A man battered a pensioner before he broke into the bedroom of a woman armed with a knife.
Peter Croft went on a crime "spree" on April 12 this year which saw him carry out a number of offences, including battering a 72-year-old man and entering a woman's bedroom armed with a knife. Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday, November 7, how the 31-year-old tried to gain access to a property in Litherland in the early hours but when he couldn't get in tried the neighbours next door.
Henry Riding, prosecuting, said the police were called and he was found to be in a "confused" and "intoxicated" state before officers took Croft home. However, at around 3am that morning the 31-year-old broke into the home of two men - a dad and son - who Croft knew.
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He entered the bedroom of one of the men and demanded money. When he didn't get this, Croft launched an attack on the other man, a 72-year-old, where he punched him a number of times and knocked him to the ground.
Mr Riding said the victim suffered bilateral bruises to his eyes and other areas of his face and "severe bruising" as a result of the attack. Croft demanded for more money from the man and threatened "I will kill you" if he didn't give him more cash. The victim was forced to handover £40.
After this, Croft tried to break into a number of homes in the Crosby area. The court heard at around 4.30am the 31-year-old broke into a house, where a woman who lived there heard a "sound like clicking on the landing".
The court heard how the woman thought it was her husband returning from a night shift at work. She said the person entered her bedroom and lent across her.
In her sleepy state she realised it was not her husband and thought it was her son and asked "what was wrong?" The victim soon realised it was not any family member, but in fact Croft who was armed with a knife.
The woman began to panic and got her phone. Prosecutor Mr Riding said in her panicked state she could not unlock her mobile and tried to engage in conversation with Croft to bide more time and keep him calm.
When she asked Croft why he was in her house he told her it was because of "neighbours and then aliens". The victim said she could smell alcohol on his breath and at one point he "touched her on her naked back", Mr Riding told the court.
The woman managed to leave the bedroom and got through to police. She put a dressing gown on and placed her phone on the bannister as she did this.
Croft noticed this and tried to get the phone from her or the bannister and it fell down the stairs. At one point he blocked her exit and grabbed at her, however she managed to push past him and call for help.
The 31-year-old left the house and took the knife which was found discarded at another address. The woman, who read out a victim impact statement in court on Monday, said the incident has deeply affected her in many aspects of life including at home and at work.
She said she can "no longer relax at home" has now been suffering from anxiety and PTSD symptoms. The victim said after the incident in April she tried to continue work however on May 6 suffered an "acute anxiety attack".
She said following this she was signed off for anxiety for three months and was "unable to focus and unable to relax". The victim said she has since been receiving therapy following the incident and had a bolt installed in her bedroom as well as a police panic alarm fitted.
The court heard that Croft, who has 28 previous convictions including robbery, said he had "no recollection" of the crimes and had taken alcohol, crack cocaine and heroin at the time of the incidents. Bernice Campbell, defending, said Croft wanted to say "sorry to all of the victims" and had "absolutely no malice but in retrospect recognises the fear" the victims must have felt.
Ms Campbell told the court that Croft had faced a number of difficulties in his life. This included the loss of his mum after a battle with cancer and struggled to come to terms with the loss of his unborn child, the death of his partner and having his child taken into care.
She added that since being remanded in prison, Croft has come off all drugs, including methadone. He has also carried out work while in jail.
Croft - who appeared via video link to HMP Liverpool - pleaded guilty to a number of charges including suspicion of burglary, carrying an offensive weapon, robbery, attempted robbery, attempted to commit burglary and common assault.
Sentencing, Recorder Ciaran Rankin said the crimes carried out by Croft has had a "detrimental effect" on his victims. He added in the case where he broke into the home armed with a knife where a woman was sleeping, her mental health has been impacted due to his actions.
He added: "It has resulted her in bolting herself in her bedroom because of what you did [...] the events of that night has had a detrimental effect on her."
The judged sentenced Croft, of of Elmsfield Road, Crosby, was sentenced to seven years and three months after pleading guilty to the offences.
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