Injured joyrider choked and robbed pensioner who tried to help him after high-speed police chase
An injured joyrider, who led police on a dangerous car chase, choked and robbed an 86-year-old woman in her home after she tried to help him.
Shaun Kennelly, of Cross Street, Newark, appeared before Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (13 January), where he was sentenced to four years and five months in prison for robbery, dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and criminal damage.
The 25-year-old will be banned from driving for three years after he is released from prison and he was handed a 10-year restraining order against his victim.
The pensioner tried to help Kennelly, after she found him hiding outside her house with an injury to his arm.
Within seconds of being invited into the woman’s Newark home to get a bandage, Kennelly suddenly grabbed her around the throat and demanded all of the cash out of her purse.
Detective Constable Lauren Carpenter, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "It’s a damning indictment to Kennelly’s character that his first thought when this kindly woman came to his aid was to rob her in her own home.
"His actions that day were absolutely despicable, callous in the extreme, and resulted in his victim suffering a horrible ordeal that she in no way deserved.
"As if that attack wasn’t bad enough, Kennelly had also earlier demonstrated a complete disregard for the law by driving in a truly disgraceful manner that put other road users at risk of serious harm.
"It really should go without saying but this type of behaviour is completely unacceptable and will never be tolerated by Nottinghamshire Police.
"We’re pleased to see that Kennelly is now facing the consequences of his actions and sincerely hope he uses his time in prison to reflect on the mistakes he’s made."
Kennelly was wearing no shoes or shirt when he went on the one-man rampage on 20 June (2022).
He caught the attention of the police when he drove through the city centre at 80mph - nearly three times the speed limit - in a car he had stolen from his mother's driveway.
Kennelly drove on the wrong side of the road, narrowly avoided a head-on collision with another vehicle and sped towards a police car to ram his way out when he was blocked in on Lincoln Street.
When he again then sped away from police, officers decided to cancel the pursuit, as it was feared carrying on could endanger other members of the public.
Kennelly dumped the damaged car in the Newark Gateway soon afterwards, before fleeing on foot and trying to hide in his unsuspecting victim’s garden.
The victim was left shaken up, with minor injuries.
The 25-year-old was arrested the following day but answered “no comment” to all the questions put to him during police interview.
After initially denying any involvement, Kennelly eventually changed his tune and on 7 October pleaded guilty to robbery, dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and criminal damage.