Burglary shock for praying 90-year-old

Dec 16 2009 By Ian Proctor, Harrow Observer

A BURGLAR who snuck into the home of a 90-year-old woman and stole £40 while she prayed was jailed for two years last Friday (December 11).

Michael Brien, 28, was spotted by a neighbour as he walked in through the back door of the house in Eastcote Lane, South Harrow.

Victim Velia De-Kretser was in prayer in her bedroom at about 10am on August 27 when she heard a noise. Investigating, she saw the reflection of a man in her bathroom mirror.

Mrs De-Kretser hurried back to her bedroom and called her grandson for help. In the meantime, the intruder had left and £40 was missing from her handbag. Two police officers called by a neighbour arrived in time to see Brien leaving from a side alley.

They chased him through back gardens to Ivy Close, where they tackled him to the ground. During the pursuit, Brien shouted: "Leave me alone, I've got a knife on me."

The Old Bailey heard Brien suffers from schizophrenia and has a history of alcohol and drug abuse.

Brien, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to burglary and obstructing a police officer.

Judge Giles Forrester sentenced him to 20 months' imprisonment for the burglary and four months, to run consecutively, for the obstruction.

The judge said: "This was a particularly mean offence. You entered the house of a 90-year-old woman when she was present in the house.

"You have previous convictions including offences of violence, but none for burglary.

"Domestic burglaries such as these are very serious, not only because of the loss of material possessions but because of the invasion of privacy and the level of fear experienced by your victim during and after the event.

"I doubt this lady will ever forget what you did to her in her own home."