Pony tail gave away identity of Nelson heroin addict thief
4:56pm Tuesday 18th September 2012 in News
Pony tail gave away identity of Nelson heroin addict thief
A HEROIN addict with a £36,000 a year habit was caught after a masked robbery because part of his pony tail was ripped out to try and stop him escaping, a court heard.
Paul Kenny, 42, had snatched cash which was stashed under a big cushion which victim Mohammed Butt was sitting on, snoozing, in the lounge at his home in Nelson.
Kenny, who had threatened the victim with a stick, was grabbed by Mr Butt as he fled and the victim pulled out a large clump of Kenny's hair before he opened the front door and made off.
Mr Butt's son also chased the robber and managed to get £1,100 back. Burnley Crown Court was told how the jobless defendant — then needing £100 a day to feed his addiction to hard drugs — was in debt to drug dealers. He had planned the raid after hearing the victim had the money in his home.
Kenny was arrested four months later after the pony tail was forensically examined and proved he was the culprit.
The defendant, who had 15 previous convictions, including one for robbery, was jailed for 40 months.
Kenny, then living in Nelson, but more recently of Manningham Lane, Bradford, had admitted robbing Mr Butt.
Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said Mr Butt was at home in Nelson, sitting in the living room on top of a large cushion. Under the cushion he had hidden £4,300, which was a loan he was waiting to take to the bank.
Mr Butt drifted off to sleep and when he awoke a man confronted him. His face was covered with a scarf.
The man was armed with a wooden stick.
Miss Statham said the man lunged for the money and headed for the back yard.
The robber couldn't get out of the yard so he ran back through the house, pursued by the victim.
Mr Butt managed to grab the man's hair and pulled out a large clump from his pony tail.
