Terminally ill pensioner '˜targeted by burglar'

The 80-year-old woman managed to lock her back door as an intruder tried to gain entry to the property in Lisburn, Co Antrim, prosecutors said.

But £50 worth of alcohol belonging to her son was allegedly stolen from storage in the back garden of her Laganville Park house.

Owen Haddock, a 19-year-old living at hostel accommodation in nearby Flush Park, is charged with carrying out the theft on January 14.

He is also accused of separately stealing a necklace and keys in a burglary at Beechfield Mews in the city later the same night.

During his bail application the court heard the elderly woman is confined to a hospital bed in her kitchen area.

“She is considered vulnerable and is terminally ill,” a prosecution lawyer said.

The woman told police how she was able to get her back door locked as a man started to open it.

Haddock has not been charged with the alleged attempted burglary of her home.

But the stolen alcohol, necklace and keys were all found during searches at his accommodation, it was claimed.

Opposing bail, a prosecution lawyer argued that the hostel is too close to the pensioner’s home.

Richard McConkey, defending, acknowledged any attempt to break into her home should be met with “revulsion”.

But he stressed that his client has not been accused of seeking to gain entry.

“It’s something one would hear about and be disgusted with, but he’s not charged with it,” Mr McConkey added.

Granting bail, His Honour judge Lynch banned Haddock from entering either Laganville Park or Beechfield Mews.

The defendant must also adhere to a curfew, electronic tagging and report daily to police.