Drug addict attacked elderly Bradford couple at relative's graveside

The husband and wife, who are both in their 70s, were visiting Bowling Cemetery on the afternoon of May 10 when they were confronted by drugged-up "crack" addict Robert Seaman.

The dangerous criminal, who had served previous jail terms for wounding and violent handbag snatches, was carrying a knife with a six-inch blade and demanded the woman's handbag.

Bradford Crown Court heard how the brave pensioner wouldn't let her bag go and she was violently pushed to the ground during a struggle and landed on a nearby gravestone.

Prosecutor Andrew Horton said her husband, who had been on his hands and knees tending to the relative's grave, was also pushed over and he was also hit in the face by Seaman knocking his glasses off.

Seaman, 29, fled with the handbag, which contained about £80 in cash as well as mementos of the woman's deceased sister, but he was arrested later and the knife used in the robbery was found at the property.

Mr Horton said there was concern about the woman's heart rate after the robbery and she had to undergo an ECG scan.

Seaman carried out that shocking attack just six days after he committed another serious robbery at the New Beehive Inn on Westgate, Bradford.

Mr Horton told the court how landlord William Wagstaff had arrived at the premises at about 10.50am on May 4 to open up and Seaman, who had stayed there previously, was waiting outside.

Seaman asked about a room, but after being told to come back later he followed Mr Wagstaff into the kitchen area where he launched a frenzied attack on him with various weapons including a kitchen knife, a table leg and a fire extinguisher.

Mr Horton said the complainant feared for his life as he tried to fend off blows from Seaman who was demanding his wallet.

In his statement Mr Wagstaff described how he remembered being hit round the head with the fire extinguisher and seeing Seaman look round the blood-stained room and say:"What have I done."

The defendant fled the scene in Mr Wagstaff's Land Rover Defender and his victim was left with various injuries including defensive wounds to his hands, concussion, black eyes and a cut to his head.

In his victim impact statement Mr Wagstaff said he was off work for two weeks and one of the cuts to his hand became infected causing him "almost unbearable pain".

He said he had worked as a landlord for 28 years and he had never faced anything so frightening.

In between the two robbery offences Seaman tricked his way into a retired Bradford woman's home on the pretext of checking some gardening work he had done previously, but while she was distracted he stole her car keys and drive off her Nissan vehicle.

Last month Seaman, of Douglas Road, Bradford, admitted a spree of offences including two robberies, assault, theft of vehicles, burglary and driving without insurance.

The court heard that Seaman, who had 13 previous convictions for 37 offences on his record, was released from a 54-month sentence in December and his solicitor advocate John Bottomley said his client had started using crack cocaine for the first time.

"That is a highly addictive substance and has fuelled this spree of offending," he conceded.

Mr Bottomley said Seaman was ashamed of what he had done and expected a long prison sentence.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told Seaman he was a very good example of the dangerous effect of crack cocaine and heroin and his previous record of offences was highly relevant.

The judge said Seaman was clearly under the influence of drugs when he committed a catalogue of serious offences.

"You yourself admit that when taking drugs you are off the scale. Therefore I must find you dangerous and act accordingly."

In addition to the 10-year prison term the judge imposed an extended licence period of five years following Seaman's release from custody.