Burglar jailed for widow attack

Annie Williams's son allowed a picture of her injuries to be released

A burglar who beat a 76-year-old widow unconscious in her own home has been jailed for a minimum of eight years.

Steven Nicoll, 26, of Waunarlwydd in Swansea, attacked Annie Williams during a break-in last September.

He had previously admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent to the pensioner, known to friends as Nancy.

Sentencing him at Swansea Crown Court Judge John Diehl QC described the attack as "sheer evil" and told Nicoll he was a danger to the public.

The court heard during the attack Mrs Williams, who was a friend of Nicoll's grandmother, suffered massive facial injuries.

Her face was swollen beyond recognition and her nose, cheekbone and jaw were fractured.

Steven Nicoll's actions were described as "sheer evil"

On the night of the attack she had gone to bed as normal but was woken in the early hours by being punched in the face.

In a statement she gave police, which was read out in court, she described how her attacker was so close she could feel his breath on her.

She begged him to stop but he continued until she lost consciousness. She was found by her sister-in-law lying on the floor of her bedroom around 12 hours later.

Nicoll stole just £50 from her handbag and her car which he drove away and set on fire.

Extracts of her victim impact statement were read out in court in which she said her life had been "devastated".

The court heard she knew Nicoll through his grandmother.

"I can't understand how someone I've known since a teenager could be so evil as to break into my home while I was asleep and beat me so violently," said Mrs Williams.

It must have been and probably still is a living nightmare Judge John Diehl QC

Mrs Williams said she was now nervous of being at home, especially at night, and that she had been left disfigured, causing her distress every time she looked in the mirror.

She also suffers from double vision and hearing problems.

Judge Diehl told Nicoll: "I find it difficult to adequately express what you did to her, the sheer evil of it, it must have been and probably still is a living nightmare.

"There's no justification or excuse. You left her there to suffer and bleed, you didn't care, she could have died."

Judge Diehl read a statement from the sister-in-law who found her. She described Mrs Williams injuries as being so bad she could hardly tell it was her.

Sentencing him Judge Diehl said it was an act of "horrific savagery carried out by an intoxicated brute".

Nicoll was given an indeterminate sentence, the judge said to protect the public.

He must serve a minimum of eight years before being eligible for parole.