A callous couple burgled the home of a 75-year-old neighbour three times in one night.
Ricky Stewart and his girlfriend Jennifer O’Neil duped and distracted the lone elderly woman to creep into her home and steal her money.
The devious pair showed their “true colours” in a persistent string of sneak burglaries, said a Teesside Crown Court judge today.
They had earned their vulnerable neighbour’s trust since moving near her in central Stockton.
Over a period of more than three hours, they twice invited her out of her home to discuss dog-fouling and asked to use her phone and toilet.
Stewart sneaked in and stole cash from her home of at least 27 years on the night of August 22.
He was caught crouched behind a wheelie-bin and coming out of the woman’s bathroom.
The victim realised they had been stealing from her, told relatives and police were informed.
She said in a statement read out in court: “I gave my trust to Jenny and Ricky. They went out of their way to gain my trust.
“I’m not gullible. I thought I could not be fooled but I’ve been tricked by these two people.
“I’m 75 and feel very vulnerable in my own home.”
She said she was frightened they might target her again or take revenge on her for reporting them.
The offenders since lost their home on the woman’s road.
Stewart, 31, now of Gray’s Road, Newtown, Stockton, and O’Neil, 27, now of Cockerton Walk, Hardwick, Stockton, both admitted three charges of burglary.
It was their most serious crime yet, after 61 previous offences between them.
Their lawyers said they were both gripped by addictions to crack cocaine at the time.
Duncan McReddie, defending Stewart, said this affected his judgment, he since showed remorse, embarrassment and self-disgust and could imagine the victim’s trauma.
He said Stewart had a genuine relationship with the elderly woman in the eight months he lived near her. He denied any prolonged targeting or planning.
Stewart - described as polite and articulate when not on crack - was willing to face her to apologise, added Mr McReddie.
Uzma Khan, representing O’Neil, said: “She does not recognise the person she was at the time.
“Had she not taken drugs, she would never have behaved in this way.”
She said the mum-of-four had a difficult childhood and personal problems.
O’Neil split from Stewart, came off drugs, took counselling, therapy and courses in custody, and felt prison was the only way to wipe the slate clean.
The judge, Recorder Simon Phillips QC, said the two fed their crack habits by showing “wickedness” towards a vulnerable elderly woman, leaving her feeling betrayed, frightened and worried.
He told them: “You both demonstrated your true colours. You were not friends to this lady. Quite the opposite.
“You cynically and selfishly targeted her premises on that evening.
“Through deliberate ruses you set out either to distract her attention or get her away from the premises in order that you could help yourselves to any cash that you could find.
“I’ve read that you are both thoroughly ashamed and disgusted by what you’ve done.”
He jailed Stewart for 13 months, O’Neil for 12 months and gave them indefinite restraining orders banning them from contacting the victim or entering her street.
