New Chapmans resident enters home, assaults elderly women

Shelley Lorraine, a resident of New Chapmans, will spend the next two years in jail, after he pleaded guilty to entering the home of two elderly women and assaulting them.

Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias slapped the sentence on Lorraine at the Serious{{more}} Offences Court on Tuesday.

Lorraine was charged with entering the home of Florence Glasgow, 88 and her daughter Janice Glasgow, 55, as a trespasser and assaulting them, on December 22, 2014.

He was also slapped with two separate charges of assaulting the women, causing them actual bodily harm.

He pleaded guilty to all three charges.

On the first charge, Lorraine, 34, was sentenced to one year in jail and on the second and third charges, he was sentenced to two years imprisonment, respectively.

The sentences will run concurrently.

According to the facts, at about 5:45 a.m. on December 22, Florence, a retired schoolteacher, was awake on her bed when she saw a man walk by her open bedroom door, heading in the direction of her daughter’s bedroom. The court heard that the elderly woman shouted to the man, but did not receive a reply.

Shortly after, she heard her daughter screaming, “Mummy!”

When Florence went to her daughter’s aid, she saw Lorraine choking Janice.

Lorraine then turned to Florence and began choking her, while still choking the younger woman.

The facts further stated that another of Florence’s daughters, who was in the house, heard the commotion and went to the assistance of her mother and sister.

When she observed what was happening, she took up a flashlight and struck the man in his head. He then let go of both women and fled the scene.

Police in Georgetown subsequently found the perpetrator hiding behind a stone not too far from where the incident took place.

Medical reports revealed that both women suffered several abrasions to their necks as a result of choking.

In court, Lorraine wore a huge grin on his face and stated that he had only troubled two elderly persons in the past.

“How many convictions I have for troubling people? I only have two,” Lorraine told the court, without even being asked.

“I don’t know what the police are saying that I am of interest in other matters… I just pray for some leniency in the sentence,” Lorraine asked, as he looked around the court-room and grinned.

Lorraine has eight previous convictions, including possession of an offensive weapon, assault, using threatening language, among others.

“You’re young and strong and picking on elderly people. That does not sit well with me at all. I really have a problem with this. What you have done is too serious,” Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias told Lorraine.

The prosecution, just before sentencing, indicated to the court that police in Georgetown are investigating a number of matters of a similar nature, involving elderly women.(KW)