Man jailed after pushing pensioner to the floor and stealing car in Formby

We have welcomed the sentencing of a man who pushed an elderly man to the ground before stealing his car in Formby.

Jack Jenkins, 20, from Kirkby was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday (10 January) for four-and-a-half years for the incident on 21 November 2017.

Jenkins and an unknown accomplice forced entry to the back door at the home of a couple in their 70s, and demanded the keys to their car.

Jenkins attacked the 76-year-old man as he tried to defend his wife, putting him in a headlock before pushing him to the floor where he sustained cuts on shattered glass. He then took the keys to his Ford Fiesta.

The following day, the car was used in a separate burglary during which two cars were taken.

After a police pursuit of the Ford Fiesta, Jenkins was detained and tested positive for cannabis.

He was arrested at the scene and later charged with robbery and aggravated unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle.

While on bail, Jenkins removed his electronic tag but was traced and brought back to court where he pleaded guilty.

The male victim – who was suffering from cancer at the time for which he continues to receive treatment - said in a Victim Personal Statement: “I knew I could replace the car but I did not want them to hurt my wife, the woman I love, who I have been married to for over 50 years.

“I am now on my fourth bout of chemotherapy. Every time you have a bout of chemotherapy you always get weaker and weaker, that’s the trouble, but I won’t ever let the people who robbed me do me down. You have to have resilience in life. I know that more than most.”

In her Victim Personal Statement, the female victim recalled the ordeal: "Watching my husband being assaulted was horrifying, on top of everything with the cancer and chemotherapy. It was hard for me, seeing him go through an experience like that, he was trying to defend his home, and he’d done nothing wrong. He has never harmed anyone in his life."

Detective Inspector Steve Ball said: "The impact from this incident, as with any burglary, has had a lasting impact on the victims, who had every right to feel safe and protected in their own home.

"They have shown remarkable strength throughout this process, in the face of the cruel and callous action of Jenkins.

"Since the launch of Operation Castle in March 2018, we have conducted targeted operations in response to burglaries in Merseyside and continue our efforts to reduce the number of offences, raise community confidence, reassure residents and victims, and reduce the number of outstanding named suspects for burglary.

"Jenkins is the latest of a number of offenders to be jailed, and homeowners should feel reassured that he and others are now off the streets.

"We hope that his sentence provides time to consider his thoughtless actions and change for the better."