Vulnerable woman victim of terrifying and degrading robbery in her Brighouse home

A Bradford man has been jailed for six years after he subjected a vulnerable woman to a terrifying and degrading robbery in her own Brighouse home.
David Marshall and an accomplice launched an attack on a man who had come to visit the woman's Brighouse home in January.David Marshall and an accomplice launched an attack on a man who had come to visit the woman's Brighouse home in January.
David Marshall and an accomplice launched an attack on a man who had come to visit the woman's Brighouse home in January.

The complainant, who lived alone, was woken in the early hours when David Marshall and an accomplice launched an attack on a man who had come to visit the woman's home in January.

The beating, which the woman tried to stop, is believed to have been linked to an on-going feud between Marshall and another man, but the victim refused to cooperate with any prosecution.

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Marshall, who had previous convictions for offences including assault, affray and wounding, turned his attention to the woman after she pleaded with him to leave her friend alone.

After pushing her back onto the bed in her nightwear Marshall aimed a two-fingered gun gesture towards her head before stealing her iPad and mobile phone.

Prosecutor Adam Walker summarised a victim personal statement in which the woman described how she thought she was having a heart attack at the time of the incident.

"She remains in fear that Mr Marshall may return and do her further injury," said Mr Walker.

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He revealed that the stolen items contained important photographs and memories of a friend who had passed away.

Marshall, of Crawford Avenue, Bradford, pleaded guilty on the day of his trial to charges of robbery and perverting the course of justice.

The court heard that a few days after the robbery Marshall had tried to persuade the victim not to go to the police.

Recorder Anthony Hawks jailed Marshall for six years and also imposed an indefinite restraining order which bans Marshall from having any future contact with the complainant.

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He told the 39-year-old that he had an unenviable criminal record and the robbery was an extremely serious offence.

The judge said the complainant had suddenly been confronted by Marshall and his accomplice in her bedroom.

"It is difficult to imagine anything more frightening than that," he said.

The judge said the woman had described how the offence was going to affect her for the rest of her life and Marshall had invaded the one place where she was entitled to feel secure for his own purposes.