An ex-payroll clerk with two children descended into addiction before she was involved in the knife-point robbery of a disabled man. Lauren Stevens had a decent job for a company in Ilkeston, worked her way up the ladder and secured promotion as a payroll clerk, Nottingham Crown Court heard on Friday (March 31).
But, in 2019, things started to fall apart, explained her barrister Stephan Fox. She lost her job, her employer went into liquidation and she associated with negative peers and started using drugs, spiralling into addiction.
Stevens, of Hucknall Lane, Bulwell, ended up in abusive relationships. The court heard there was a history of domestic violence between Stevens and her co-accused.
This person was acquitted by a jury of his role in the Bulwell robbery - but Stevens pleaded guilty on a particular basis put before the court. Stevens, 28, persuaded the victim, who has significant mobility issues, to take her back to his property.
She said she was homeless, and it was clear they developed something of a rapport. Stevens was in his company for two hours before she opened the window for her co-defendant, who allegedly climbed into the home.
Stevens did not know her co-accused would allegedly produce a "significant knife". She assisted by gathering property when the victim was being threatened with the knife, the court heard.
Property worth £250 was taken and never recovered. The victim was described as being apprehensive about repercussions and only went to police the next day.
Stevens, 28, was arrested, made admissions, but waited until the day of trial to enter a plea. She participated in the robbery when a knife was allegedly produced.
The victim spoke extensively in a statement about the impact of the crime - how it has "destroyed his life", Judge Mark Watson handed her four years in prison for the robbery and three months concurrently on charges of fraud and theft.
The fraud and theft happened one month after the robbery where she met a man in a pub and stole from him.
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