THE accomplice of a robber who “terrorised” and brutally beat up a 72-year-old man in his own home has been jailed for 25 months.

Lauren Johnson, 29, was on several suspended prison sentences when she pestered the victim for money, tried to distract him by asking for water and then acted as look-out while Andrew Ratcliffe, 23, jumped through the victim’s bedroom window and punched him 30 times to the face, York Crown Court heard.

Her barrister Zareem Alam-Cheetham said Johnson was suffering from mental illnesses at the time which led to her hearing voices, believing that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was her father and that the then Government would harm her family if she didn’t do as she was told.

Lauren Johnson, of Whitehead Hill, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to robbery. York Crown Court heard she has 112 previous convictions.

“You may have your problems but that doesn’t excuse that kind of criminal record,” the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, told her. “Mental health problems are not a get out of jail free card.”

He jailed her for 21 months for the robbery plus 16 weeks previously suspended, making a total sentence of 25 months.

Ratcliffe, of Sewel Road, Bradford, is currently serving eight and a half years after pleading guilty to robbery and two house burglaries that did not involve Lauren Johnson.

Vincent Blake-Barnard, prosecuting, said Lauren Johnson knew the victim.

On September 12, 2023, while he was reading in bed she and Ratcliffe arrived and she asked him for money.

When he said he had £40 and refused to give it to her, Ratcliffe asked how old he was and the victim replied that he was 72 years old.

Lauren Johnson asked the victim for water and as he was getting some, Ratcliffe jumped through the bedroom window and began attacking him hitting his face 30 times and threatened to knife him if he didn’t reveal where the money was.

“The man was terrorised,” the judge said.

The victim told Ratcliffe where his wallet was and Ratcliffe took £23.

Meanwhile, Lauren Johnson had closed the window “presumably so that no-one would hear the commotion,” said Mr Blake-Barnard.

At the end of the robbery she and Ratcliffe walked off together.

Ms Alam-Cheetham said Lauren Johnson pleaded guilty on the basis she was a look-out and acted as a distraction and did not go into the flat.

She had been diagnosed with a psychotic mental illness, personality disorder and a disorder secondary to the misuse of drugs and had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act three times between 2020 and 2022.

“She was horrified by the violence that took place on September 12 and she feels genuine remorse,” said the defence barrister.

Since being remanded in September her mental health had improved.

Detective Constable Sam Rivers of Scarborough CID said after the hearing: “This has clearly been a planned and orchestrated robbery of a 72-year-old victim in his own home.

“It was a very frightening experience for the poor man who has received injuries as a result of the attack. He also believed the male offender had a knife with him and that he would have been killed should he not comply with the demands for money the offender was making.

“Johnson who waited outside clearly knew exactly what was happening and is guilty by joint enterprise. Together they planned this offence and carried it out with no remorse.

“Offenders who commit this sort of crime are a scourge on society. It was a shameful and vicious attack and I’m glad our investigation brought the perpetrators to justice.”