'Scumbag' burgled Rothwell pensioner who has dementia after claiming he owed money

A burglar admitted that he is a scumbag after stealing from a Rothwell pensioner who has dementia.

William Wallace falsely told his 90-year-old victim he owed money for roofing work before going into his home and taking items.

But he had no idea that the incident was caught on a camera system which had been set up by the victim’s son.

On Friday (October 13) the 50-year-old, who has convictions for more than 70 previous offences, was jailed for more than three years.

Northampton Crown Court heard Wallace, of the Greenacres Traveller site in Leicester Road, Market Harborough, noticed the victim’s Moorfield Road address had scaffolding on when he called in late at night on June 29.

Prosecutor Sinjin Bulbring said Wallace told the man, who lives with dementia, that he owed him £500 for roofing work. When the victim said he didn’t have any money, Wallace offered to help him look inside and later left with some cash, a jacket and a diary.

The court heard that, when the victim’s son came to the property, he saw what had happened on the camera footage and contacted police.

Mr Bulbring said they are now having to employ carers as a result of the incident.

He said: "They do not feel safe in their own home."

His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo told Wallace it was a 'gross violation of a very vulnerable person'.

He said: "Your victim was no doubt very troubled and frightened in his home."

Earlier that day Wallace, who appeared at court over videolink from HMP Peterborough, had also knocked on the door of a woman in her 70s in High Hill Avenue.

He told her she needed work done on her roof urgently and gave a quote but the woman said she didn’t need work doing.

Wallace was persistent and spent about 10 minutes trying to negotiate before the victim thought he had left and locked the doors.

Mr Bulbring said she then found him in her dining room and noticed that the dresser doors were open.

He said: "Thankfully nothing was taken."

Wallace was arrested two weeks later, where he found was drinking alcohol outside a pub at 9.15am, and denied burgling the victims but said he might have been canvassing for work.

He later pleaded guilty to two burglaries and the court heard his conviction triggered the ‘third strike’ rule, where those convicted of domestic burglaries three times face a starting point of three years in prison.

Wallace had been jailed for a burglary in 2021 and was on licence at the time of the Rothwell incidents.

Mitigating, Diane Mundill said Wallace had told her he is a scumbag.

She said: "He cannot believe he did what he did...he is disgusted in his own behaviour.

"He says whatever sentence your honour gives he will take it because he deserves it."

Ms Mundill said Wallace is an alcoholic and was intoxicated at the time, adding that he was previously addicted to drugs but had become drug-free.

She said: "He wants to work with the prison service to address his alcoholism so that when he comes out he can knuckle down."

Judge Mayo jailed Wallace for three years and five months and told him he would serve up to have of his sentence in custody before being released on licence.

Just before the hearing ended the burglar decided to address the court and said he was ‘really, really sorry’.

He said: "I hope this sentence is the last time I sit in front of a judge...I mean it. I know you have probably heard it 1,000 times but I do."