A woman who asked to sample drugs before paying for them was brutally punched and kicked before being robbed in her own home.
Stretford teenager Astro Williams was one of two men who turned up at the victim's Cheshire home in the early hours of the morning to sell drugs, Chester Crown Court heard. The victim allowed the pair into her home, but they turned aggressive - threatening her with a knife before stealing her iPhone and a designer watch.
During the hearing, the court heard how the victim - a 42-year-old woman - admitted to officers that she had be using illegal drugs for a number of years. On the evening of Sunday, August 2 2020, she had contacted her regular dealer in order to buy around £100 worth of drugs, which were due to be delivered to her home in Bollington.
At around 1.45am the following day, two men arrived at her home with the drugs and she allowed them in. The woman then asked the pair if she could sample the drugs before handing over the cash, at which point the men became violent, taking turns to punch and kick the woman as she lay on the on the floor.
They also threatened to slit the victim’s throat with a knife. Before leaving, the pair stole a number of items from the victim’s home, including her iPhone and Fossil watch.
Following the incident, an investigation was launched by officers from Macclesfield CID to trace the people responsible. On August 6 2020, plain clothed officers on patrol in South Park, Macclesfield, spotted 19-year-old Williams - who matched the description of a wanted man.
Upon approaching Williams to speak to him, he pushed the officer and tried to flee the park, dropping a number of bags as he ran off. He was arrested as he was exiting the park and all of the items he had discarded were recovered.
After searching the bags, officers found 41 wraps of crack cocaine and 46 wraps of heroin that were worth more than £850. They also discovered the Fossil watch which had been stolen during the robbery at the victim's home.
Following his arrest, Williams denied any involvement in the robbery and claimed that the drugs belonged to his cousin. However, telephone analysis and forensics officers were able to prove that he was at the victim’s home on the night of the attack.
Williams, of Trent Bridge Walk, was charged with robbery and possession with intent to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He pleaded guilty before being sentenced to 10 years in prison yesterday (April 4).
The second drug dealer involved is still yet to be brought to justice. Det Con Sarah Newton of Macclesfield CID, who led the investigation, said: “I welcome the sentence handed to Williams who is clearly a violent individual.
"While the victim admitted to using illegal drugs, she did not deserve to be robbed and attacked in such a violent way. Despite the sentence handed to Williams, this is not the end of this case and should any new information come to light we will do all that we can to bring the second offender to justice.”
