Victims reveal hurt caused by robberies

Two men targeted by a robber have told of how their lives were ruined after they were preyed on by their attacker, who has now been jailed for more than five years.

Geoffrey Wilson had been a fit and active 86-year-old still enjoying golf, ballroom dancing and being a voluntary car scheme driver while Peter Leicester turned his life around, thanks in part to the voluntary work he enjoyed in an antiques centre.

But all that changed after two attacks in the space of 13 days earlier this year.

On April 15 James Bleasdale conned Mr Wilson into driving him from Albrighton to Codsall Wood before dragging him out of the car and driving off while two weeks later he snatched a wallet from Mr Leicester in the shop.

On Friday Bleasdale, 36, of Hurleybrook Way in Leegomery, Telford, was jailed for five-and-a half years for the two robberies.

During the hearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court Judge Peter Barrie heard how the robberies had affected the two men.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Wilson said that he had been fairly fit before the robbery enjoying a round of golf twice a week and ballroom dancing with his wife as well as being a driver for a voluntary car scheme.

But soon after the incident he had developed osteoarthritis that his doctor said could have been aggravated by what had happened.

"I have had to give up golf and the voluntary car scheme and I am now very cautious driving," he said.

"It affected me far more than I thought it would. I was left feeling very shocked and scared and it is still affecting me today."

Mr Leicester said in his victim impact statement how his wallet had contained up to £40 and also jewellery he was looking after for relatives and that he was now having to pay for its loss.

The statement said that volunteering at the antique centre had been helping his depression and was his first "job" for 12 years and that he had been enjoying working four or five days a week.

"This has been the biggest shake-up of my life," he said.

Although managing to return to work he could only now face one day a week and his depression had returned "with a vengeance", Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting Bleasdale, told the court.

"The defendant has taken from me something that I will never be able to replace – trust," Mr Leicester said.