Bolton group 'victimised' wheelchair user in her own home

Valdez Brown, 27, Yakub Thompson, 31, and Kimberley Fisher, 39, all went into the house in Great Lever through a broken window on March 4 this year. 

Bolton Crown Court heard how Brown had been carrying a machete at the time and that the elderly woman was in a particularly vulnerable state.

Judge Jon Close said: “She was a wheelchair user, she was in ill-health, she had recently had a cancer diagnosis.”

He added: “And it was her you chose to victimise.”

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

The court had previously heard from prosecutor Ellen Shaw how Brown had hit the victim’s dog with a machete, though the dog was unharmed.

The victim herself was punched and pushed back into her wheelchair.

When the elderly woman’s son came down to investigate, he was hit in the leg by the machete, while Fisher then fought with his girlfriend and Brown punched her in the face.

As they made their getaway, the trio’s car was stopped by the police where Fisher, who has 38 previous convictions for 53 offences stayed. 

Valdez Brown (Image: GMP)

But Brown, who has 10 previous convictions for 18 offences, and Thompson, who has 30 previous convictions for 47 offences, tried to make their escape.

All three were later brought the court and eventually pleaded guilty to affray on what would have been the first day of their trial.

Brown also confessed to possession of a bladed article.

Judge Close reminded the three of the devastating impact they had wrought on their victim.

Yakub Thompson (Image: GMP)

He said: “This is someone in considerable ill health who faces a dark future and who through your actions fears she can no longer live in her home.”

Tom Farr, defending Brown, of Georgina Court, Daubhill, said that despite arguments about how the crime was categorised he deserved credit for his eventual guilty plea.

He said: “This was, despite discussions about credit, disgraceful violence and Mr Brown tells me he is deeply remorseful.

“He uses the phrase disappointed in himself.”

Tanya Elahi, for Thompson, of Thornbank, Deane, said that he accepted climbing in through the window despite claiming some of his actions had been in self-defence.

She said: “He tells me he had been going through a rough patch and had fallen in with the wrong crowd.”

She added: “He knows that if he doesn’t change now, he never will.”

Gwen Henshaw, for Fisher, of Morrison Street, Great Lever, said that unlike the other two defendants she had in fact tried to resolve the case before the first day of the trial.

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She said that Fisher had “exhausted every means available to her in custody to rehabilitate herself” and had “gone above and beyond” having become a “model prisoner” on remand.

Ms Henshaw said: “She is articulate, clean and full of hope for the future.

Judge Close jailed Brown for two years and eight months and Thompson for two years and seven months.

He sentenced Fisher to 22 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered her to complete 26 building better choices sessions.

Judge Close also ordered her to complete a nine-month drug rehabilitation programme with 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and referred her to a women’s problem-solving course.

He hit all three with a 10-year restraining order against their victim.