A couple lured an old man to a flat on the promise of sex but instead attacked him with a hammer and a crow bar and robbed him.
Tracey Bailey and Samuel Patterson set the honeytrap on an online dating website, inviting their 75-year-old target around for a sordid romp before threatening to "break his kneecaps". He feared he was "not going to make it out alive" and was then accused of rape after he went to the police.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Thursday, that the victim began using QX Dating in September last year and subsequently exchanged a series of messages and phone calls with Patterson. On the evening of September 26, he rang the complainant and asked him to come over to his home on Poulton Road in Wallasey, Wirral.
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Nardeen Nemat, prosecuting, described how the 51-year-old told him that he had a girlfriend who was "up for anything". The pensioner then spoke to Bailey, of Ashville Road in Birkenhead, over the phone and was instructed to bring alcohol with him.
He arrived at the address shortly before 11pm with vodka and cans of Stella Artois. But Patterson confronted him in the living room, brandishing a wooden lamp hammer and telling him: "Right I'm serious, give me your wallet".
The man initially believed he was joking and laughed, but the thug repeated "I'm serious" and swung the weapon at him - hitting him in the left knee cap. He demanded his wallet before instructing Bailey to retrieve a crowbar.
She raised this implement over him with her right hand, at which point he stopped resisting. Patterson took his wallet and mobile phone, taking his debit cards and handing them to his co-defendant.
Having given his pin number following demands, she left and withdrew £250 in cash from his bank account. While Bailey was away, her partner in crime held the crowbar to the OAP's chin and told him: "I want to hurt you.
"You’re a weirdo and a pervert and a nonce and a paedo. I want to break your kneecaps."
When the victim pleaded "if you do, I'll be stuck here", Patterson replied: "I don’t care. There is an alleyway at the back, I can leave you out there."
He was however allowed to leave upon Bailey's return, at which point he called the police - later describing how he thought he was "not going to make it out alive and genuinely believed he may have to fight for his life". The robbers stole his wallet, three banks cards, mobile phone and £90 in cash in addition to the sums withdrawn by Bailey.
A statement read out to the court on his behalf added: "This was a despicable crime, and I hope the perpetrators take the opportunity to change their ways. Experience leads me to doubt that will happen."
Following his arrest, Patterson told police under interview that he had met Bailey a week earlier when she "asked for money for a drink". He instead invited her to his apartment, where they subsequently "drank and became an item".
The granddad-of-four alleged that she had "introduced the conversation about chat lines" and that they had arranged for the complainant to pay £250 to watch them have sex. Patterson further claimed that after he had left to go to the shop during the man's visit, he returned to find him attempting to rape a screaming and partially-undressed Bailey - leading to the altercation.
She meanwhile stated that it was "nothing to do with her" and denied having armed herself with the crowbar, although she did admit speaking with him on the phone prior to the encounter. The 55-year-old also denied having been in a relationship with her fellow robber.
Patterson has a total of 34 previous convictions for 66 offences including burglary, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, supplying drugs, perverting the course of justice, theft and handling stolen goods. He received an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of four years for robbery in 2012 following an incident in July of the previous year.
On this occasion, the serial offender and a female companion were sat on the steps of Birkenhead Central Station and asked an alighting passenger for money for a cup of tea. The man invited them to his flat for a cup of tea, but once they had left realised his two mobile phones were missing.
Patterson later returned to the apartment and said he could get them back for £6, before attending once more with another man and demanding £10. While they handed over the devices without receiving payment, the occupant then found that a replacement phone he had purchased in the interim had also been stolen.
Once again, the thief offered to retrieve the mobile before arriving in the early hours of the morning and forcing his way inside with a second male. The latter shouted "kill him" and both repeatedly punched the homeowner, but he managed to get hold of a knife and stabbed the accomplice - who then said: "The b*****d stabbed me, kill him."
Patterson's last involvement with the criminal justice system came in 2019, when he was imprisoned for 16 months for burglary and theft. He was recalled on licence following his latest arrest.
John White, defending, told the court: "He has an appalling record, and he understands the position he finds himself in. The root of his problems has not been drugs, it has been alcohol.
"There clearly was very little or no physical injury, and the complainant indicated that what happened with the lump hammer appeared to be a warning as opposed to an extreme act of violence. He can't seek to excuse what he's done on this occasion.
"For some time, the defendant had a settled life. He was doing well.
"Sadly for the defendant, his brother - who is an alcoholic - became homeless, and he took him in. As a consequence of that, the defendant started drinking again and that led to him being involved as far as this offence is concerned.
"He had known the co-defendant for a relatively short period of time and allowed her to reside at his address - of course, that led on to the commission of this offence. He wants me to say he is sorry for what has happened."
Bailey, who used a walking stick in court, has four previous convictions for five offences. These include a count of theft in 2018, which resulted in eight weeks in prison after she stole £80 from her own elderly dad.
Ian Whitehurst, appearing on her behalf, said: "The driving force behind this criminality is that of Mr Weate's client. The court should take into account her personal history and mental health issues.
"In effect, she was tantamount to being destitute. There have been significant adverse events in her life."
Patterson admitted robbery and was jailed for six years and nine months. He turned to his two supporters in the public gallery, although he discovered one of them was asleep, before being led down to the cells.
Bailey pleaded guilty to robbery and fraud. She was imprisoned for four-and-a-half years.
Recorder Peter Cowan said that they had subjected their victim to "frightening, gratuitous and blood-curdling threats", adding in his sentencing remarks: "Jointly, you lured him to a flat under false pretences. Your purpose, jointly pre-planned, was to rob him.
"Once he was in the flat and isolated, you Mr Patterson detained him and used some low level of force with a lump hammer by striking him on the knee. When he pushed back, you Ms Bailey - at the behest of Mr Patterson - provided backup by fetching a crowbar, which you threatened him with until he realised he should take the easier option of surrendering.
"You were aware of the plan. You played a full role in the execution of the offence as well, albeit you were the junior partner in the enterprise - the primary mover was you, Mr Patterson.
"This was a despicable offence. It would also have been a terrifying offence for him to suffer.
"You were exploiting an elderly man. You fully expected him to be too embarrassed by the circumstances to report the matter to the police."
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