Hammer-wielding burglar from Newark broke into home and attacked pensioner

A hammer-wielding burglar from Nottinghamshire who attacked a pensioner has been jailed.

Connor Cooper forced his way into the Newark home of a "vulnerable" man on 28 January.

The 22-year-old smashed his way through a bedroom window and knocked the victim to the floor.

The victim, who struggles to walk, hit his head as he fell to the floor. Cooper, who was wielding a claw hammer, then kicked the man in the ribs and chest and threatened to kill him if he moved.

At the time of the incident, Cooper was already part of the police's Integrated Offender Management (IOM) scheme to prevent such offending.

The scheme targets prolific offenders who commit a disproportionate level of crime across the city and county.

Cooper denied he was involved in the burglary and said he was jogging through the area.

However, detectives were able to use precise GPS tag data to place him at the scene, which showed Cooper leaving the property and climbing over a garden fence before deciding to remove the electronic tag.

Cooper subsequently went on the run before being arrested in South Yorkshire.

Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on 25 March, Cooper, of Parliament Court in Newark, was convicted of burglary of a dwelling with intent to steal and jailed for four years.

Sergeant Rebecca Jepson, of Nottinghamshire Police’s IOM team, said: "Cooper’s unacceptable behaviour has caused distress to homeowners and blighted local communities.

"Despite denying his involvement, we were able to track him down via conditions enabled by the IOM programme and bring Cooper to justice.

"It is important that we work closely with our partner organisations to reduce the reoffending of prolific individuals, to create safer communities across Nottinghamshire.

"The reasons for offending can be complex, but we are committed to protecting our communities from harm, and by addressing these causes directly, we can reduce victims of crime and costs to the criminal justice system.

"We continue to deal with prolific offenders robustly and those individuals who do not engage with the programme will be prosecuted. I hope this sentence provides some comfort to the victim and his family."

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