Woman attacked Preston OAP in his home after claiming she was 'looking for a cat'

Amanda Goodwin, who was caught stealing the man’s medication and money, tried to trick him by claiming she was looking for a cat, Preston Crown Court heard.

The 27-year-old, of Andrew Street, Deepdale, Preston, admits assaulting victim Christopher Toohill in his home, and stealing from him at his property in Deepdale during an incident on June 20 this year.

Prosecuting, Tim Evans said: “The complainant, who is a retired man in his late 60s, was at his home on a late summer afternoon.

“He had been sitting in his front garden enjoying the sunshine.

“He had gone in his house to use the bathroom and on leaving the bathroom saw that Amanda Goodwin was in his house.

“She was known to him. He asked her to leave and she didn’t.

“She went into a couple of rooms, initially upstairs, claiming she was looking for a cat, then went into the kitchen going through the fridge, claiming she was looking for something to eat.

“She then went into the front room and sat on the settee and it was then he noticed £10 of coins were missing.”

Mr Toohill told the defendant she had to leave and challenged her about the taking of money.

The court heard she punched him with a clenched fist.

The blow caused him to fall back on to the settee.

The blow also damaged his glasses.”

Goodwin was later found to have stolen the pensioner’s Oramorph medication, and 54 Sevredol tablets.

In a statement to Lancashire Police, the victim said he had known Goodwin for five years.

He described how he had suffered pain and bruising from the injury she inflicted.

Defending, Fraser Livesey said the sentence would be the longest period she had spent in custody.

But after hearing she had 36 convictions for 66 offences on her record, Recorder Gary Woodhall said her previous history of offending was an “aggravating feature” of the case.