Defendant weeps in burglary case (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Defendant weeps in burglary case

9:00am Friday 29th June 2012 in News

A woman wept in Court as she told a jury a pensioner she is accused of burgling tripped accidentally and fell over her doormat.

Rosalyn Edmonson said she was shocked when 81-year-old Dorothy Tennant went to her knees while she was delivering a perfume order to her flat in Taunton House, Croscombe Walk, Bradford.

Edmonson, 30, a former neighbour of Mrs Tennant, said she put her arms round her and pulled her to her feet.

Visibly distressed, she told the jury at Bradford Crown Court yesterday she did not touch Mrs Tennant’s purse or steal any money from her.

Edmonson, now of Long Lee, Keighley, pleads not guilty to burgling Mrs Tennant’s home of £70 in banknotes on March 19.

She said she had been to Mrs Tennant’s flat before the alleged burglary to ask for cigarettes but had never borrowed any money from her.

She had sold the pensioner perfume for money to buy drugs and other things.

Edmonson told the jury she followed Mrs Tennant into the living room after helping her up. Mrs Tennant was shouting at her, saying: “Not another penny.”

She threw money at her and she left, leaving behind a bottle of perfume.

Edmonson said she told the police she had not been to the flat that day because she was scared and wanted to get out of the cell where she was being held following her arrest. Mrs Tennant told the police she was bruised after falling in a tussle with Edmonson in her hallway.

She accused her of putting her foot in the doorway to stop her shutting her out and struggling with her to prevent her using the intercom system to call for help.

Mrs Tennant said she did not at first realise that money had been stolen from her but it “clicked” after Edmonson had left the flat.

She checked her purse and found that £70 in banknotes was missing.

The trial continues