65-year-old rape victim will face attackers in court

Pensioner raped in own home will face attackers at court
by Neil Hunter

A pensioner who was repeatedly raped in her home by two drug-crazed teenagers has decided to face them in court on their judgement day.

The 19-year-olds put the 65-year-old through hours of degradation, but she is determined to attend the hearing when they are sentenced.

The case against David Humphrey and Lee Beazley was yesterday adjourned for three weeks, which will allow their victim to attend to see them locked up.

The teenagers are facing lengthy prison sentences after admitting putting the widow through the ordeal in her Middlesbrough home last year - an attack that shocked the nation.

The pair admitted one count of rape, aggravated burglary and threatening the pensioner with a knife when they appeared at Teesside Crown Court in January.

Yesterday, Humphrey admitted a further two charges of rape, while Beazley pleaded guilty to one additional count of rape.

Prosecutors accepted Beazley's not guilty plea to the third rape charge, and said they would not proceed with an allegation of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against either defendant.

The pensioner's ordeal lasted for several hours at her home in Marton, Middlesbrough, on September 29.

The woman, who lived alone and had been watching television, was threatened, beaten and raped before her home was ransacked.

After the assault, she dragged herself to a phone and made a 999 call.

She was later treated for severe facial injuries and trauma at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

The attack was so savage that one senior detective said: "Short of murder, this is the worst attack I have dealt with in 26 years of police service."

A mobile phone, jewellery and cash were also stolen.

Jeremy Richardson, QC, prosecuting, told the court yesterday that the pair had drunk a great deal of alcohol, smoked cannabis and taken heroin substitute tablets before the attacks.

Beazley was armed with a knife and Humphrey had a screwdriver when they broke into the house and bound and gagged the pensioner.

Mr Richardson said: "Violence was visited on the complainant but it is impossible to prove which of the two accused perpetrated it. It is not in the public interest, given the other pleas, to have a trial of issue on a single count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in light of the inevitable sentence in this case."

Humphrey, of Deepdale Avenue, and Beazley, of Dalcross Court, Hemlington, both Middlesbrough, were remanded in custody.

They will appear again on April 21, after pre-sentence reports are prepared, and an up-to-date medical report and victim impact statement are gathered by the prosecution.
Martin Bethal, QC, for Humphrey and Beazley, said: "On behalf of each defendant, we would like reports from the Probation Service and the complainant has expressed a wish to be present when the defendants are sentenced."