A robber who posed as a delivery driver before trying to put an elderly woman in handcuffs has been jailed.

Gary Head, 55, burst into the pensioner’s Plymouth home and held her captive before making off with hundreds of pounds in cash.

Not only did he attempt to put her in a pair of leopard-print handcuffs, he also placed what appeared to be a pillowcase with a cord over her head.

Jailing Head for three years at Plymouth Crown Court, Judge James Townsend said the circumstances of the raid ‘could hardly be stranger’.

He added: ‘This was a terrifying and in some ways inexplicable incident involving a vulnerable victim.

‘You posed as a delivery man and covered your face, you pushed past her, put your hand over her mouth and subjected her to attack.

‘You pushed into her bedroom. You were armed with handcuffs which you attempted to put on her.

‘They eventually broke. You also attempted to place a bag over her head. You demanded to know where she kept the money and stole it.’

The court heard how the woman eventually managed to wriggle free from the pillowcase.

Despite his attempts to disguise himself with dark glasses and a cap covering his face, Head was still recognised by authorities.

Judge Townsend said: ‘Your intention was clearly to terrify and humiliate a vulnerable elderly woman and this has had devastating psychological effects upon her.’

According to two psychiatric reports, the defendant had not suffered from psychosis at the time but did have depression after a road accident.

Head, of Saltash, Cornwall, pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning the woman at her home on May 1.

But he faced a jury in October after he denied robbery, sexual assault and trespass with intent to commit a sexual assault.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, complained that Head had deliberately put his hand up her jumper during the struggle, while he insisted it was an accident.

A jury unanimously convicted him of the robbery but acquitted him of the sexual offences after a three-day trial and just over an hour’s discussions.

Defender Emily Cook said her client not only had no previous convictions but was of ‘positive good character’.

She added that he had a ‘responsible job’ which was still open to him despite spending six months in prison.

Miss Cook said he had suffered due to his declining mental health, especially during the lockdown.

The barrister added: ‘It is no overstatement to say that prison has been horrific.’

Miss Cook said that because of the sexual allegations, he was put on a wing with sex offenders, and that his cell mate boasted about his crimes. She added that he also caught coronavirus in prison.

The barrister said the incident was only brief and did not involve any violence such as punches on the woman.

Judge Townsend also handed Head an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting the victim.

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