A DRUG abuser slid into the bed of a 70-year-old man with cerebral palsy and threatened to accuse him of rape if he did not give her money.

Coraleena Hunter preyed on the frightened man over the course of six months, making demands for cash - having already targeted a 67-year-old man with learning disabilities.

Today, the 27-year-old faces five years behind bars for theft and blackmail offences against the two vulnerable victims, as a judge at York Crown Court condemned her actions as "planned, calculated, wicked criminality".

Hunter, of Lady Mill Garth, Clifton, York, pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing money and goods, mainly CDs and DVDs, and one charge of blackmail and theft.

Matthew Bean, prosecuting, said Hunter befriended the 67-year-old, of Byland Avenue, York, in 2004.

She slept at his house, took drugs in his home and, for a while, treated it as her own.

The court heard he was often confused and had difficulty remembering his age and friends. Hunter took advantage of this by using false names such as Amanda and Michelle.

A helper who visited in October and November, 2005, became concerned about "Michelle", particularly when she found her sleeping in the man's bed.

When the police became involved, the victim revealed how Hunter had stolen £400 from him on one occasion, CDs and DVDs on others, and continually asked him for money.

Hunter continued to visit him, even after learning of the police investigation. She stole a £24 DVD from him and then another five DVDs which he had bought to replace the earlier ones Hunter had taken.

When interviewed by police, she alleged of her victim: "He is a pervert. He pays me £100 to take my clothes off."

Mr Bean said she started to visit her second victim in mid-2005, between once a week and once every three weeks over six months. He was 70, from the Haxby Road area of Clifton, with cerebral palsy and hearing difficulties, and unable to read or write.

On one occasion, he said: "The defendant got into his bed and said "I will have you for rape if you don't give me what I want", and demanded money."

He later admitted being "frightened to bloody death that she gets me into trouble".

He told police she had continually asked him for money, and stole between £500 and £600 from him.

The problem only came to light when the victim's brother visited and noticed he seemed frightened. Hunter was interviewed by police in February, but then continued to plague him with visits.

Mr Bean said: "No further offences occurred, but he said she dropped her trousers and underwear and offered to perform sexual acts. He refused and offered her money to get her out of the house."

The court heard Hunter had previous convictions including theft, burglary and robbery.

In mitigation, Yvonne Taylor said Hunter had had issues of alcohol, substances and drug abuse from a very early age.

However she said Hunter had been drug free since her remand for the latest offences, for which she accepted full responsibility.

Mrs Taylor said: "She doesn't want to cause other people to suffer as she has."

A dishonest social menace'

Judge Patrick Robertshaw gave Coraleena Hunter full credit for her guilty pleas to the offences, particularly because they prevented two vulnerable victims from having to give evidence.

However, he said her previous convictions showed her up as "a dishonest social menace".

He said: "Over a period of just under two years, you preyed on two elderly men. Not only that, in both cases you quite determinedly and deliberately sought to target their vulnerability.

"One quite clearly had learning difficulties. In respect of that victim, you continued to offend when you knew that the police investigation was underway.

"The other victim, you blackmailed, threatening to make false allegations of rape. He was 70, with several personal problems, including the fact he was a sufferer of cerebral palsy.

"What you were doing was quite simply despicable and contemptible beyond words. It was planned, calculated, wicked criminality.

"Both were victims who were liable to be confused by what was happening, and less likely to complain about what was going on."

He also said they were less likely than more able people to be able to give "cogent and coherent evidence" if the case came to court.

"Taking advantage of the disabilities of others for your own ends is as low as you can get. These are offences likely to leave behind victims bewildered, angry and traumatised, left feeling vulnerable in their own homes; their peace of mind shattered. It is likely to cast a very long shadow over their lives. It shocks the conscience of right-thinking decent people."

Hunter received a total of five years in prison, three of which were for the blackmail offence.

Catalogue of crime

  • November, 1997: Aged 18, Coraleena Hunter was jailed for six months for assaulting a police officer and criminal damage
  • February, 2001: She faced a 12-month jail sentence for burgling a baker's shop in Shambles, York, and threatening the owner with a needle. She wrote to Judge Paul Hoffman, saying she had been influenced by her accomplice. He put her on probation for two years
  • January, 2002: Hunter told The Press of her desperation to escape homelessness and drug problems. She said her crimes had been to feed her habit and said she was a woman "without hope". She had 73 previous convictions at the time
  • January, 2002: She was sentenced to six months for breaching the probation order imposed for the needle raid at a baker's in Shambles
  • August, 2002: She was ordered to pay £20 compensation for theft and non-attendance at court
  • March, 2003: Hunter was discharged conditionally for six months for begging
  • October, 2003: Hunter was jailed for 12 months for a street robbery after helping a man to rob an acquaintance in March
  • May, 2006: Hunter received a 12-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £30 costs for non-attendance at police station, possession of cocaine and diamorphine.