Getaway driver jailed for Leeds house burglary which left 87-year-old woman terrorised

Maughan (pictured) was jailed for her part in a burglary in which an 87-year-old woman was terrorised. (pics by WYP / National World)Maughan (pictured) was jailed for her part in a burglary in which an 87-year-old woman was terrorised. (pics by WYP / National World)
Maughan (pictured) was jailed for her part in a burglary in which an 87-year-old woman was terrorised. (pics by WYP / National World) | WYP / National World
A woman admitted being the getaway driver at a Leeds house burglary in which an 87-year-old woman was terrorised.

Mary Maughan was part of a three-strong team that kicked their way into the house in Adel during daylight hours, only to be confronted by the terrified elderly woman.

Maughan was caught when CCTV at Asda picked her up trying to swap the foreign currency taken during the break-in.

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She was jailed at Leeds Crown Court for nearly four years this week for the incident and six serious shoplifting offences in which £4,700 of items were taken.

Maughan (pictured) was jailed for her part in a burglary in which an 87-year-old woman was terrorised. (pics by WYP / National World)Maughan (pictured) was jailed for her part in a burglary in which an 87-year-old woman was terrorised. (pics by WYP / National World)
Maughan (pictured) was jailed for her part in a burglary in which an 87-year-old woman was terrorised. (pics by WYP / National World) | WYP / National World

Prosecutor Safaraz Ahad said it was unknown how old Maughan was, due to several date of births being recorded, but it was thought she was around 30.

At around 3.30pm on April 22 she drove two men to the property in a red Mini fitted with false number plates.

The occupiers were out, but the grandmother was asleep upstairs. The two men kicked the back door in and entered, even entering the bedroom where the woman was.

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Terrified, she came down the stairs and was ordered to sit down. They told her to remove a ring from her finger but she was unable to remove it, so they tried to use cooking oil, but were still unable to remove it.

The woman was able to raise the alarm with neighbours and the men fled, getting into the waiting Mini driven by Maughan.

The handbag they managed to steal contained foreign currency from China, Hong Kong and Macao. Maughan later tried to exchange the money in Asda.

Maughan, of Cardinal Avenue, Beeston, admitted a charge of dwelling burglary. She also admitted the six shop thefts from March and April.

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Accompanied by her partner and sometimes a third person, she helped steal clothing, razor blades, food, alcohol and pairs of expensive Gucci sunglasses.

The shops targeted included Morrisons and Boots in Wetherby, Asda in Middleton, JD Sports and Sports Direct at Crown Point and Co-op in Lofthouse, Wakefield.

Maughan has a “history of persistent shoplifting”, Mr Ahad said, but also had a previous conviction for burglary.

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She appeared in court via video link from HMP Foston Hall in Derby.

Mitigating, Eddison Flint said Maughan’s brother had died, and she “went on a drinking binge but had no money to fund it” and that she wanted to “drink herself into oblivion”.

Judge Neil Clerk told her it was “quite clearly professional thieving” for the shoplifting offences.

He jailed her for a total of 47 months.

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