Barlborough pensioner thought she was "going to die" during home attack by six foot four naked ‘maniac’

A 77-year-old woman told a court how she believed she was ‘going to die’ at the hands of a ‘six foot four’ man who appeared at her door completely naked and attacked her husband.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Marjorie Bosworth told Derby Crown Court today “you cannot imagine the terror we felt” as Scott Presswood smashed his way through a window using a cast iron barbecue.

He then hit Mrs Bosworth’s husband four times with the heavy garden equipment as her terrified partner tried to defend them both with a knife he had grabbed from his garage.

Prosecutor Sarah Slater described how on April 19 last year at about 9.30pm the elderley couple were watching television at their three-acre rural home in Barlborough when they heard a loud bang at the door.

Marjorie Bosworth told Derby Crown Court today “you cannot imagine the terror we felt”.Marjorie Bosworth told Derby Crown Court today “you cannot imagine the terror we felt”.
Marjorie Bosworth told Derby Crown Court today “you cannot imagine the terror we felt”.

As Theodore Bosworth opened it he saw Presswood stood “completely naked” holding a bundle of clothes.

After Mr Bosworth, 68, managed to close the door he ran to the couple’s garage - finding a knife to defend himself and his wife.

As Mrs Bosworth phoned police “maniac” Presswood kicked in the couple’s door and then threw the barbecue through a large window and entered the property.

Circling Mr Bosworth with the barbecue in his hand Presswood told him to “put the knife down” and to “get on the floor and take off his clothes”.

As the defendant tried to rip at his clothing Mr Bosworth “struck out” at Presswood - at which point the defendant raised the barbecue and hit him “three to four times” over the head.

For some unexplained reason Presswood “suddenly ran out of the property” as Mrs Bosworth pleaded with police to come.

When they arrived they found Mr Bosworth “covered in blood” with his trousers falling down and shirtless - while Mrs Bosworth was “inconsolable”.

Reading her victim personal statement in court Marjorie Bosworth described feeling like the couple were “going to die at the hands of this man”.

She said: “Until the day I die I will never forget that evening - I really believed we were going to die.

“We’re old age pensioners living in fear and feel like prisoners in our own home - we moved here for a peaceful retirement but we’re now living in a nightmare.”

Mrs Bosworth described how the couple now had nine security cameras surrounding their home and panic alarms either end.

Joseph Harvey, defending, told the court Presswood had taken a cocktail of hallucinogenic drugs that night in a bid to end his own life following a mental breakdown.

This was brought about when the father-of-two lost access to his children and suffered the sudden death of his father.

He spent three months in a hospital detained under the Mental Health Act following the appalling incident.

Presswood, of Chesterfield Road, Barlborough, admitted a section 20 wounding and criminal damage.

Jailing him for 28 months Judge Shaun Smith QC said psychological reports painted Presswood as “someone who in normal circumstances presents as kind and warm”.

However he added: “You were far from that in April last year.

“Because of the state you were in you resorted to taking substances - some of them hallucinogenic - such that you were responsible for this dreadful affair.

“You destroyed the lives of Mr and Mrs Bosworth - who were in their retirement somewhere they had always wanted to be.”

Judge Smith said instead of destroying his own life as planned, Presswood “turned into the maniac in that field”.

He added Presswood was fortunate to have “no recollection” of the psychotic episode “because Mr and Mrs Bosworth do”.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Sam Jackson, editor.