Gainsborough: Pair accused of stealing from a vulnerable man in his home

A vulnerable Gainsborough man has described how he noticed his new camera missing after two strangers called uninvited at his home.
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Donald Hudson told a jury at Lincoln Crown Court that he called the police straight away after a man and woman entered his flat in South Parade.

Mr Hudson, who walks with a stick, said the woman was first to call at his property and later went in to his sitting room. A man also walked in to his flat minutes later and began waving round a piece of paper

Anita Gray, 48, of Queensway, Gainsborough, and Gary Holmes, 42, of Dunstall Walk, Gainsborough, both deny a charge of burglary following the alleged incident on December, 10, 2013

Giving evidence by video-link Mr Hudson described how a woman with dark long hair was first to call at his flat and was then followed minutes later by a man with short light brown hair

He said: “When I eventually came in to the sitting room she smiled all innocent like. I wanted them to go but I did not want any trouble so I went to get my neighbour to see if he could get rid of them.”

Mr Hudson told the jury he had bought the camera just three weeks earlier for around £80 or £90 and was planning a trip to Lincoln to take some photographs.

He denied a defence suggestion that the woman never entered his sitting room.

Mr Hudson said: “I didn’t ask her to come in, she just came in. She said she wanted to use the toilet at first, which she never did, and then she asked for some water.”

Mr Hudson said he had seen the man earlier the same day at a bus stop in Church Street. He also denied inviting the man into his home.

He added: “He just walked past me like I wasn’t there.”

Mr Hudson said he also believed he may have seen the woman before.

He said: “She was always begging for money. I saw her in the Market Place one time.”

Once the pair had gone Mr Hudson said he realised straight away that his camera was gone.

He said: “I saw it in the morning, the same day, and it was in order.”

Gray and Holmes each deny stealing the camera during the alleged burglary.

The trial continues.

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