Two drug addicts lured a woman to a drug den in Harehills, Leeds, where they tied her up with electrical cables and subjected her to a horrific six-hour ordeal before stealing her bank card and cash. Jeanette Martin, 33, and Shevonne Wright, 42, were both sentenced to six years and two months imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court on June 25.
Planned Attack
Prosecutor Shannon Woodley told the court that the victim, who knew both defendants, was enticed to a property near Bayswater Road on November 16 last year. Martin had asked her to help with decorating, but upon arrival, she was taken to an attic room with a makeshift mattress. Wright began attacking her, and Martin joined in. The pair bound her with electrical cables, with Martin tying a cable around her neck until she lost consciousness. The victim begged for her life, pleading to see her children, but the beating continued.
Theft and Humiliation
The attackers stole £70 in cash, a bank card, and a mobile phone, forcing the victim to reveal her PIN. Martin withdrew £160 from her account while Wright remained with her, continuing the assault. Wright struck her over the head with a phone, stamped on her back, and threatened to leave her tied up with socks in her mouth. The ordeal lasted over six hours until a man freed her and drove her home, where she contacted police.
Victim Impact
In a victim impact statement, the woman said: 'I was so terrified I was going to die I wet myself and they laughed and called me a dirty b****. They beat me for hours. I was sore for weeks and struggled to eat.' She revealed she has isolated herself, suffers from nightmares, and has thought about taking her own life. Her doctor suspects she has complex post-traumatic stress disorder.
Sentencing
Both defendants pleaded guilty to robbery. Wright had 37 previous offences, including violence, while Martin had 29, mostly for dishonesty and drug possession. Martin was under a suspended sentence at the time. His Honour Judge Clark imposed indefinite restraining orders preventing contact with the victim, stating: 'This was a planned and unpleasant attack and while it was not planned to be this extreme, it was this extreme.'
