Joy Middleditch was found on the floor 12 hours after she was burgled at her bungalow in Lowestoft – and managed to tell police two boys had broken in, but died days later
Two boys who left a great grandmother lying on the floor of her home after robbing her when they were just 14 and 15, with her dying two days after she was found, have today been sentenced to youth custody.
Joy Middleditch was found by concerned family members 12 hours after she was burgled at her bungalow in Lowestoft. The court heard the 82-year-old mother of three was terrified and was “calling for her mother” after yelling for the boys to leave her home. She was taken to hospital on March 25, 2023, where she died two days later. Their trial heard the pair were wearing “intimidating masks” to “instil fear” into their victim.
Today, at Great Yarmouth Youth Court, they were each sentenced to two years in youth detention. District Judge Kenneth Sheraton said said: “I have been sitting in magistrates’ courts for many years, and I have no hesitation in saying this is one of the nastiest cases I have seen.” The judge said that Ms Middleditch was found with five broken ribs and bodily bruising.
Last month the boys, who can not be named for legal reasons and are now aged 17 and 16, went on trial at Great Yarmouth Magistrates’ Court where prosecutor Hanna Llewelyn-Waters said they had “acted together” and “planned” to commit robbery.
The trial heard there were text messages after the robbery, where the younger defendant had texted his girlfriend saying he needed to “get rid of his clothes”, and after hearing of Ms Middleditch’s death he texted her that he “will see her in 20 years” and “would get rid of his phone”.
The pair were captured on CCTV moments before entering the rear of Ms Middlemitch’s home after they set a car alarm off nearby. The prosecutor said they then headed to the elderly woman’s home. She added that they passed over homes and it was “inconceivable that they did not know the house was lived in by an elderly person”.
District Judge Kenneth Sheraton heard evidence from the older defendant who claimed he was “just following his friend”. His police interview was read to the court. He said: “I followed to see what he was doing when he went around the back door to open it and went in. He opened the door, and there was a dog growling. It was only a little thing, so he just ran in.
“She was inside, and he pushed her into the table. He then grabbed her bag and ran back out. I shut the door and followed him. She was screaming ‘Get out of my house’ and ‘Mummy’.”
He told police he shut the door as he didn’t want her dog to run away. He claimed he had gone to his younger friend’s home that day to “get stoned” and they went for a walk after sharing a spliff.
Officers were called just after 1.50pm to reports that a woman had been found following a suspected robbery, the incident having happened during the early hours of the same day. Following the incident, it was found that a handbag containing a purse from within the property had been taken.
The younger boy had pleaded guilty to burglary but denied robbery. The older boy pleaded not guilty to both charges. The were both found guilty of both offences.
Following their conviction last month, detective constable Debra Bates said: “This must have been a very traumatic incident for Mrs Middleditch. She was a vulnerable, elderly woman who was robbed of her possessions in the middle of the night by these two individuals, for relatively little financial gain.
“I would like to thank Joy’s family who have been extremely supportive of Suffolk Constabulary and patient throughout this investigation in what has been an incredibly difficult couple of years for them.”
Before the teenagers were caught back in March 2023, Ms Middleditch’s family told the Mirror they feared the “monsters” responsible will strike again unless they were found.
As a manhunt was launched the victim’s great niece, Rebekka Arnold, then 30, appealed for anyone with dashcam footage to come forward, saying: “It’s terrifying that these people are still out there.”
She said: “This was my great aunt. If you are from the Pakefield/Lowestoft area ad have any information whatsoever on the people that did this or were in the area around the time of the incident you may have dashcam footage that could be useful, please contact Suffolk Police as soon as possible to bring these horrible scumbags to justice.”
She added: “Just hoping somebody will have the information to help catch them before they do this to somebody else, the fact they’re still out there is really worrying.”
In another emotional Facebook post she said: “How could anyone ever sleep at night knowing they did this to an elderly lady? Makes me sick, hopefully someone will be able to find something that leads to finding these monsters.”
Mrs Middleditch’s niece, Mandy Leadbitter, said her aunt was not wealthy and would not have had much money, adding: “They probably just took basic things – her purse, which probably only had her pension money.”