Burglar jailed after break-in terrified pensioner

Barbara Haynes, from Lancaster, died eight weeks after William Hartley climbed through a window of her home and prompted her to rush into her bathroom in horror and lock the door.

She alerted police by pulling an emergency cord and Hartley fled empty-handed but the pensioner later felt unwell and had to be taken to hospital.

The widow was eventually fit enough to return home but her daughter told Preston Crown Court she was “never the same” after the break-in in the early hours of February 15 and was noticeably more frail.

Fingerprints on the window of the address in Wheatfield Court were traced to the defendant who was arrested and told officers he had been out drinking and had taken Valium.

He could not accept – and still does not believe – he was capable of such an offence as he changed his plea to guilty on the day of the scheduled trial.

Hartley, of Sun Street, Lancaster, then committed a public order offence while on bail and beat up his girlfriend a day after pleading guilty to the burglary.

His counsel, Chris Hudson, explained Hartley had alcohol and drug problems which all stemmed from the break-up of his parents’ marriage.

He submitted that a community order would be appropriate so his client could continue to address his addictions but Judge Norman Wright dismissed his plea and imposed an immediate custodial sentence.

David Traynor, prosecuting, said Mrs Haynes was woken in her bedroom by the figure of Hartley whose foot was on the window sill. When later interviewed by police, she said although she was “a woman who did not scare easily she was very frightened”.

“She was found in a very distressed state,” he said. “She was shaking quite violently and she told the officers she was feeling unwell.

“Her daughter says that in her opinion her mother was never the same after the break-in.

“She was worried about returning home and that the defendant would attend again.

“After the incident she appeared to be slower and more frail.”

Chris Hudson, defending, conceded it was “a tragic offence” and the victim would “undoubtedly have been petrified” and “would not have known what was to happen”.

But he said it was also a tragedy for the defendant and his family.

His parents had separated in his mid-teens and he went to live with his mother in Spain.

His school life was unhappy and he was introduced to cannabis before graduating to harder drugs.

Hartley returned to the UK to his father and gained employment as a chef but his downward spiral of alcohol and drug use continued, said Mr Hudson.