WOMAN, 92, ATTACKED AND ROBBED BY VILE COUPLE HANDED LENGTHY SENTENCES
A 92-year-old woman was viciously robbed and assaulted inside her residence by the offenders Leanna Connors and Edward Connors, both of whom have now been convicted and sentenced for their roles.The victim was restrained, gagged, and tied to a chair after the offenders broke into her home in Burnage during a warm evening in June of the previous year.
They gained entry by using her keys and climbing through an open window.
The attack left her with bruises on her wrists, mouth, and arms.
The perpetrators stole her jewelry, which included a 22-carat gold wedding ring, another ring, a wedding band, and necklaces—some of which were family heirlooms.
Additionally, they ripped out her phone and tied her with tights and a vacuum cleaner cable before abandoning her, still restrained, and locking her house with her own keys.
She later managed to free herself and contact the police after two weeks.
Edward Connors, aged 30 and previously convicted of assault and identified as a sex offender, noticed her window was open around 11 pm.
He climbed into her home with ladders, bound her with a dressing gown cord, and handed the keys to Leanna Connors, aged 29, who then joined him.
Both admitted to charges including robbery, attempted burglary, burglary, and fraud.
Edward also confessed to breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
The court highlighted that the elderly woman was exploited because of her age and fragility.
The court imposed extended sentences for public protection: Edward received a total of 14 years—comprising ten years and ten months in custody and a three-year, two-month extended licence.
Leanna was sentenced to 12 years—nine years and nine months in prison, plus a two-year, three-month extended licence.
Both were declared dangerous offenders and are expected to serve two-thirds of their sentences before being eligible for parole.
Despite their imprisonment, both reoffended within a few weeks by burgling another residence in Burnage.
They stole bank cards, a mobile phone, passport, driving license, and other valuables, attempting to make purchases shortly after their previous crime, which was caught on CCTV.
Law enforcement identified them as responsible, and they confessed to multiple charges, including robbery and fraud.
Edward also admitted to breaching his sexual harm prevention order again.
The court reviewed their troubled histories, with defense lawyers citing issues such as drug abuse and past trauma, and acknowledged their remorse and attempts to recover from substance dependency.
The case underscores the grave nature of the crimes, especially the targeting of an elderly individual, and emphasizes their classification as dangerous, requiring them to serve substantial prison time.
