'Crackhead' couple's terrifying armed burglaries

Anthony Hannay and Cleo O'Donnell believed one of the flats in St John's, St John's, Worcester contained a safe but ended up burgling the wrong flat, waking up a lone woman whose husband was away on a night shift before 'ransacking' her property and locking her in.

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"She thought they were going to kill or kidnap her and is still in shock" said Judge Nicolas Cole who jailed both burglars, ruling that both were dangerous in law.

The couple, both addicted to crack cocaine, then carried out another burglary at a downstairs flat in the same building where they found the safe they had been looking for, Hannay cutting the male victim of the burglary by striking him to the head with a knife.

JAILED: Anthony Hannay. Photo: West Mercia Police

Hannay, 34, of no fixed abode and on licence at the time, was jailed for eight years at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday.

O'Donnell, 22, of Oldbury Road, Worcester, who stuck her tongue out on her police custody photo, had to be told to stop vaping in the videolink booth of HMP Eastwood Park before the judge came into court.

O'Donnell, who was on a community order at the time, was jailed for seven years and four months. Both defendants had admitted two counts of aggravated burglary and one of false imprisonment following the 'joint enterprise' burglaries on January 10 this year.

JAILED: Cleo O'Donnell. Photo: West Mercia Police

Andrew Davidson, prosecuting, said the burglary was planned as they knew there was a safe in one of the flats and they knew they were potentially occupied 'so they went armed with weapons to confront the victim'.

"Violence was threatened and violence was used" he said. The woman living in an upstairs flat had left the door unlocked because her partner, who was away on night shift, had forgotten his key.

Mr Davidson said: "At about 6am she was awoken by the two defendants in her bedroom. Mr Hannay was holding a baseball bat, Cleo O'Donnell a knife."

They initially told her: "We're not going to hurt you. We're not going to do anything. We just want to know where the safe is."

The victim told them: "We don't have a safe - I don't know what you mean."

Mr Davidson said the pair were 'getting frustrated' because they could not find the safe. O'Donnell held the knife in front of the victim's face, saying: "I don't trust her. I don't believe her. She's too calm."

SEIZED: The distinctive burgundy baseball bat with yellow lettering used in the aggravated burglaries

Her phone was taken so she could not call police and she was locked inside the flat. The victim managed to raise the alarm by contacting her partner on an iPad.

"They shouted if she called police they would kill her" said Mr Davidson.

They stole an iPhone valued at £390, two laptops each valued at £150, a PlayStation 5 valued at £600, a watch, a ring and a gold tie clip.

Hannay and O'Donnell then went downstairs and confronted a male in another flat, waking him up about 6.15am.

"Before he knew what was happening, both defendants had entered his bedroom" Mr Davidson said. By now they had swapped weapons, Hannay with the knife and O'Donnell with the baseball bat as they shouted: "Where's the safe? Where's the money? Where are the Rolexes?"

Mr Davidson said the victim described both burglars as 'appearing like crackheads'.

Hannay struck the victim to the top of the head which caused a small, two inch wide cut which was 'not deep' but nevertheless, bled heavily. The victim opened the safe, knowing there was nothing of value inside. The pair stole his wallet which contained £20, an iPhone, an iPad and a jar containing £20 to £30. He later found his phone with a shattered screen.

Both defendants were traced via their mobile phones to the Travelodge in Cathedral Plaza where they were arrested, answering 'no comment' in interview.

Judge Cole said: "It's every householder's nightmare to wake up to not one but two burglars in their property, both armed." He said of the female victim: "She was terrified."

The 'significant trauma' she suffered was an aggravating feature of the case. Both defendants were given a two thirds discount in the length of the sentence to reflect their guilty pleas at the earliest available opportunity. They must serve at least two thirds of their sentences.