Blind pensioner recognised robber by the sound of her VOICE
A blind pensioner recognised a robber as a former neighbour from the sound of her voice as the drug addict shouted and her boyfriend shouted: "Where's the money?"
Thieves Sarah Mulholland and James Conlon rushed into the 72-year-old’s flat demanding to know where her cash was.
Conlon slapped her across the face and the two fled with money from her handbag on June 30 last year.
But the victim recognised the tone of Mulholland’s voice because she used to live at the same shared accommodation block.
Mulholland, 33, was arrested when she returned to the block in July to 'intimidate' residents for money to fund her crack and heroin habit, said by police to have cost £100-a-day.
Her partner Conlon, 28, was spoken to while he was in Winson Green prison after being arrested for another robbery.
The pair tried to blame it on a Good Samaritan who ran to the pensioner's aid when he heard her screams.
He chased the pair and even lay down in front of a bus they were trying to board, but they fled.
Mulholland went on to admit involvement at Birmingham Crown Court.
But Conlon forced his victim to attend court for a trial, which never happened because he changed his plea to guilty.
He was jailed for eight years, while she was given four years for the robberies, which both happened in Handsworth.
They admitted the robbery of the woman, as well as a knifepoint robbery in March when a woman's purse was snatched.
Dc Laurence Green said: “They both have drug habits costing almost £100 per day and went to the shared accommodation with the intention of persuading or bullying residents into parting with money.
“The level of threats and violence they used against this vulnerable lady was grotesque – she escaped with minor bruising but it could have been much worse.
“She is almost totally blind but immediately recognised Mulholland’s voice and reported the incident to West Midlands Police. She has been supportive throughout and I’d like to praise her commitment and courage as it’s helped us get two nasty people off the streets.”
Speaking about the Good Samaritan, he added: “It was a fantastic display of public spirit. Mulholland and Conlon eventually ran off but the man disturbed them during the robbery, scared them off and may well have prevented the lady being seriously hurt.”
