A MEAN woman burglar stepped over an unconscious woman to steal her purse containing £500 in cash and a photograph of her late father.

Kirsty Owen, who has been jailed for 18 months, targeted her vulnerable victim at a retirement complex near her home in Bakes Street, Great Horton, Bradford, by trying to sell her a candle four days before Christmas.

Owen, 37, who has 19 convictions on her record, including stealing from her grandmother, was in the grip of a crack cocaine addiction that meant ‘her basic levels of common decency went out of the window,’ her barrister said.

Prosecutor Philip Adams told Bradford Crown Court today that Owen befriended a man aged 60 in early December last year. He walked with a stick and she helped to carry his shopping to his flat.

At 10pm on December 21, she turned up at his address trying to sell him a candle.

Mr Adams said it was ‘a clear ruse’ to get into his flat.

When the man said he had no money, they went to the neighbouring home of the burglary victim. She is in her late 40s and struggles with mobility and her speech after suffering a stroke four years previously, the court heard. She was in bed but got up to answer the door. Owen tried to sell her the candle but the woman collapsed in the doorway and passed out. She was lying unconscious on the floor when Owen stepped over her into the living room and stole £500 from her bag, along with bank cards, a gold ring that had belonged to her aunt, and a photograph of her late father.

The police were alerted and Owen was arrested at the end of December. She at first denied the burglary but pleaded guilty at her first appearance at the crown court.

The burgled woman said she had enjoyed walking but now did not feel safe going out. She was very upset about the loss of the ring and the photo and was now medicated for stress and anxiety.

Owen’s barrister, Ian Cook, conceded that it was a very unpleasant offence.

“She was gripped by drug addiction and her basic levels of common decency went out of the window,” he said.

While remanded in custody, she had become drug free and was horrified and ashamed by her actions.

Owen’s life spiralled downwards in 2019 after she had suffered during a violent and controlling relationship.

She was taking educational courses in prison and had the offer of a job on her release.

Judge Colin Burn labelled it ‘a mean offence’ that had seriously undermined the victim’s way of life after she had already suffered a stroke.

“This is a pretty appalling offence committed against a completely innocent and vulnerable victim,” he stated.

The ‘sheer outrageous circumstances’ must be met with an immediate prison sentence.