Two drug addicts who burgled a 95-year-old Croydon widow were both jailed for nine years on Friday.

Patrick Johnson, 38, shoved Daisy Allen to the ground and choked her with one of her own cushion's while Liza Gooding, 29, raided her home.

The pair targeted the frail widow after knocking on other doors in Addington Road on May 24 last year.

Mrs Allen opened her front door and was pushed backwards, landing flat on her hall floor.

She told police in a statement: "Suddenly something was put over my face and pushed down hard on me. I was screaming.

"Each time the pressure got worse. My attackers were very strong and I could not keep the cushion off my face. I was absolutely petrified."

The pair were disturbed by worried neighbours who heard the pensioner's screams.

Adam Bigden saw Mrs Allen through the letter box being dragged by Johnson, who then smashed a panel in the kitchen window and escaped, leaving his blood on the jagged pane.

Frank Williams then kicked Mrs Allen's door down.

Gooding, of Lodge Lane, Croydon, got five years for burglary and four years for wounding, to run consecutively, plus 12 months concurrent for conspiracy to defraud.

Johnson, of Orchard Avenue, Mitcham, got four years for attempting to suffocate Mrs Allen, and five years for burglary, both to run consecutively, and 12 months concurrent for conspiracy to defraud.

Both Gooding and Johnson admitted all the offences against them. Ryan got 12 months for conspiracy to defraud after a jury convicted him.

January 27, 2003 10:00