Jail for 'no mercy' attack on OAP

Mrs Smith spent weeks in hospital after the attack

An intruder who left an 83-year-old widow with "horrific" injuries after battering her with a wooden shelf has been jailed for eight years.

Irene Smith woke up in the middle of the night to find Keith Crute, 20, in her home in Cricieth, Gwynedd.

Caernarfon Crown Court heard how he punched the pensioner, stamped on her and struck her head with the shelf.

Crute, who is unemployed, from Rhosgadfan near Caernarfon, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The court heard how the defendant punched the pensioner in May 2007 after entering her home and as they fought she slipped on her blood.

Prosecutor David Mainstone said Crute knocked Mrs Smith to the floor and stamped on her several times.

"He stood on the small of her back to prevent her from turning over," he said.

Crute then struck her three times to the back of the head with a wooden shelf from a computer desk before he left the house.

'Active life'

The pensioner's pendant alarm alerted a council centre and police were called. Mrs Smith was found lying in a pool of blood.

Mr Mainstone said she had facial bruising which was so severe she could not see. She also suffered fractures to her left arm and neck.

Following the attack she spent weeks in hospital and lost two stone, the court heard.

She had to take eight strong painkillers, received regular physiotherapy, and found it difficult to sleep.

Mrs Smith had previously led an active life, the court heard. She was a volunteer for the Welsh Highland Railway and her great joy was gardening but she could no longer do it.

Judge Merfyn Hughes QC said the injuries were "quite horrific".

"Clearly for a woman of her age those injuries were particularly grave, if not life-threatening," he told Crute.

"You destroyed the quality of her life. Even today you don't realise how easily she might have died. You showed her no mercy."

Judge Hughes praised the victim and said: "She did everything she possibly could to defend herself in this dreadful case."

A defence barrister said Crute, who had no previous convictions, went to the house because he wanted somewhere to sleep and believed it was unoccupied.