Wrexham attempted murderer jailed after attack on pensioners while on release

A convicted attempted murderer has been jailed after he attacked two elderly people in North Wales while on release from prison on a life-license.

Jason Scott Roberts from Bryn Offa, Wrexham, has been jailed for ten years after admitting aggravated burglary and robbery of two pensioners in Wrexham.

The incidents happened within an hour of each other in July.

The thirty-eight year old was on release after being convicted of attempted murder in 2006 after he tried drowning and setting his victim on fire. Since November he has been on release on a life-license.

During his period of custody had been diagnosed with a dangerous, severe personality disorder for which he received intensive specialist therapy over a number of years.

But on July 11, Roberts tricked his way into the flat of a man in his 70s under a false pretence of wanting sugar and stole his television, remote and mobile phone at knife-point. It left the elderly man fighting for his life.

He then went on to pawn the television so he could carry on drinking, before going on to rob an elderly, disabled woman of her handbag in the graveyard of St Giles’ Church.

The woman said that she felt she could never go out alone again.

Detective Inspector Mark Hughes, of Wrexham CID, said he hoped the sentence would bring relief to the community:

Mold Crown Court heard Roberts he had previous convictions including three robberies.

In 2006 at Shrewsbury Crown Court he was made the subject of public protection prison sentence for offences of attempted murder, arson, robbery and false imprisonment of 49-year-old Lawrence Harris in Shrewsbury.

Roberts threatened Harris with a knife, held him prisoner, slashed him and tried to kill him by drowning him and electrocuting him with an electric fan in the bath. He then tied him up, set fire to the bed and tried to suffocate him.

Jason Roberts confessed he got drunk and committed both offences for money.

His barrister Henry Hills said he had not developed coping methods to deal with everyday life on his release. And because he did not want to be seen as a failure, he did not disclose his personal and social problems.