Denton theft: Stalker jailed for punching woman and stealing £35k

Daniel O'Donnell admitted stealing two safes from an elderly woman

A stalker who punched his victim more than 30 times before stealing £35,000 from another woman has been jailed.

Daniel O'Donnell, 30, of no fixed abode, admitted stealing two safes, which contained expensive jewellery and money, from a 70-year-old woman's home in Denton, Tameside, in November 2020.

His fingerprint was found on the back door, police said.

He was sentenced to five years for assault, stalking and burglary at Bolton Crown Court.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said O'Donnell had offered to do work on a woman's garden and then tricked his way into her house by claiming her chimney was leaking.

'Extremely fearful'

While she was distracted outside, he stole the two safes and her handbag.

He loaded them into a green wheelie bin and dragged it down the drive, saying he was "moving it out of the way".

The woman had collected and repaired jewellery as a hobby and said the burglary had "completely ruined my life".

She said it had "taken away my sense of security in my own home and confidence".

"I live alone and don't have family but used my hobby to pass the time and to occupy me. I feel like someone who has been left with nothing and without any happiness," she added.

A fingerprint on the back door was found to be O'Donnell's and he was arrested on 23 April.

O'Donnell also punched another woman, who he was stalking, between 30 to 40 times and continued to message and stalk her afterwards, police said.

Rick Beswick, from GMP said: "O'Donnell is a callous individual that not only assaulted a woman and stalked her - leaving her extremely fearful - but targeted an elderly woman in her own home."

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