Terrifying Home Invasion: Elderly Couple Bound and Beaten
A 78-year-old man and his 75-year-old wife were terrorised in their own home by two masked intruders wielding wooden mallets and shining torches. The nightmare unfolded in Spring Hill, Kimberley, in the early hours of 16 October 2020.
The attackers dragged the couple from their beds, bound their hands with zip ties, and held them captive for nearly two hours. The 78-year-old man was struck repeatedly on the head and leg with a mallet and even strangled. The criminals threatened him to open a safe and ransacked the house, stealing valuables and sentimental jewellery worth £24,762.
Bound, Locked Up, and Left Helpless
The pair were locked in a bedroom after the intruders ripped out the landline cable and smashed their mobile phones, cutting off all chances of calling for help. After the robbers fled in the victims’ car, the man patiently waited for their escape, slipped free of the zip ties, and alerted police.
The couple thankfully did not require hospital treatment but were shaken by the ordeal.
Two Men Caught and Sentenced for Brutal Aggravated Burglaries
After months of investigation, Nottinghamshire Police arrested Simon Hinton, 54, of HMP Ranby, and Dale Wright, 42, a serving prisoner from Eastwood. Both men were convicted of aggravated burglary and vehicle theft related to this home invasion and previously committed offences.
Hinton had just eight days earlier carried out another armed burglary in Watnall, threatening three occupants with a sword. He received a hefty 18-year prison sentence plus five years extended licence (total 23 years), along with a concurrent sentence for car theft.
Wright was jailed for eight years for the burglary, stacked on top of the seven years and two months he’s currently serving for involvement in a Class A drugs conspiracy.
Judge: No Remorse for Violent, Planned Crimes
Judge James Sampson said: “These were terrifying offences for these victims who may never feel safe in their homes again. Both aggravated burglaries involved some degree of planning and targeted elderly and vulnerable victims. Violence was used, serious violence was threatened, and significant physical and psychological harm was caused.”
Judge Sampson added both offenders showed “no remorse” for their actions.
Police Praise for Bringing Criminals to Justice
Detective Constable Andrew Sibley of Nottinghamshire Police said: “Clearly these were very frightening incidents for all the victims concerned. Burglary is an incredibly upsetting crime and can be terrifying for victims, especially if it is also accompanied by violence. I am really pleased with this result and thank the officers who dedicated so much time to ensure Hinton and Wright were brought to justice for their despicable crimes.”
