Woman tried to rip engagement ring from grandmother's finger to pay dealers

Nicole Bonney was brought up by her grandmother, who had given her a home, but Bolton Crown Court heard that she would often harass the pensioner for cash.

One day, in the grip of a heroin and cocaine addiction, she demanded she hand over jewellery, including a necklace which contained the ashes of the pensioner’s late husband before trying to take her ring and stealing and selling her mobile phone and tablet.

“They can only be described as thoroughly mean and despicable offences against your grandmother, who brought you up since you were a very young child,” said The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh, who jailed 26-year-old Bonney for 28 months.

Andrew Mackintosh, prosecuting, told how Bonney’s grandmother, now aged 76, had raised her but when her granddaughter was aged 17 she became pregnant and started using drugs.

“That caused difficulties within the family and by 2020 Bonney was heavily addicted to heroin,” said Mr Mackintosh.

Nicole Bonney

Bonney started demanding money off her grandmother which resulted in convictions for harassment.

Last year Bonney went to live with her mother in Stockport in an effort to get her off drugs but the effort failed and after being thrown out, returned to her grandmother’s Breightmet home.

“For the first few weeks the defendant was fine and there were no issues between the two but she then began asking for money,” said Mr Mackintosh.

On January 27 they were at home when Bonney picked up her grandmother’s phone and said she needed to ring somebody.

After using it to ring her dealer Bonney left the house with it and later sold the £300 phone to Cash Converters for £35.

The court heard that Bonney returned to the house after lunch and started asking her grandmother for money.

“She pointed to the complainant’s necklace which was around the complainant’s neck, saying, ‘can I have that?” said Mr Mackintosh.

“The complainant said no, saying it was a sentimental necklace and it contained her husband's ashes.

“She wouldn’t stop pestering the complainant and then saw a ring on the complainant’s finger and said she wanted that, pointing at her engagement ring.

“The defendant then grabbed the complainant’s hand and started to pull at the ring.”

But the ring had been on the pensioner’s hand for 50 years and could not be removed despite Bonney continuing to pull and claiming she could sell it for £40.

“The complainant thought the defendant was going to break her finger,” said Mr Mackintosh.

Bonney eventually gave up and, instead, picked up the pensioner’s Samsung tablet and left the house.

The shocked pensioner reported the incident to a police officer she spotted outside and Bonney was arrested.

When interviewed by police Bonney said she was in debt to her dealer and was protecting her grandmother from them by selling her possessions to pay them.

In a victim statement the grandmother described how she has been heartbroken by her granddaughter’s behaviour.

Bonney, who pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and theft, appearing in court via a video link from Styal prison, wept as Mr Mackintosh told how the elderly woman described herself as “shattered and unnerved”.

“I feel like I am being bullied by her in my own home,” stated the pensioner.

“She’s very strong and I feel scared for my safety. I don’t want anything to do with her anymore.”

Nicola Carroll, defending, admitted: “It was a horrible offence, one which Miss Bonney very much regrets. She has expressed her genuine remorse.

“Miss Bonney knows that she must leave her grandma alone – leave her in peace. She has troubled her enough other the years.”

Miss Carroll added that Bonney had acted “impulsively and extremely foolishly” whilst in the grip of drugs but, while in prison, has been motivated to rid herself of her addiction.

Sentencing Bonney, Judge Walsh told her that her pre-sentence report “makes very sad reading”.

“I am quite sure that, if and when you address your drug addiction, you will have the potential to live a fruitful and meaningful life,” he added.

A restraining order was made banning Bonney from contacting her grandmother for four years.