A MAN has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison after spree of burglaries that resulted in the death of an elderly Woking woman.

Johnny Brazil, 27, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Joyce Burgess who he robbed at her home in Loop Road in July last year.

The robbery was one of a rash of thefts, burglaries and robberies committed by Brazil at homes occupied mostly by lone elderly women in the Kingfield/Westfield area and in Epsom over two weekends last summer.

“Johnny Brazil was a thief whose actions robbed a family of a loved mother and he will now pay the price for his crimes with a hefty prison sentence,” said investigating officer Detective Constable Alexis Batty.

On 7 July 2018, during the heatwave, Brazil knocked on the door of 84-year-old Joyce Burgess’s home, asking for a glass of water. As Mrs Burgess went to the kitchen, he entered the house and grabbed her handbag. A struggle followed and Mrs Burgess suffered significant injuries to her arms and bruises to her face. She died in hospital on July 10.

Jill Beale, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Through detailed medical evidence showing a link between the assault and her death in hospital three days later, the CPS was able to build a strong enough case against the defendant that he eventually pleaded guilty to Joyce’s manslaughter.

“Brazil made a point of often targeting vulnerable elderly victims in their own homes, resorting to violence where he met any resistance,” she said. “Tragically, this led to Joyce’s death, with medical experts determining that her condition had worsened significantly as a result of the physical and emotional trauma she suffered in the attack.”

Brazil was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, having admitted manslaughter, two counts of robbery, five burglaries, an attempted burglary, possession of a bladed article and criminal damage. He was jailed for 20 years and three months, with an additional three years on licence. He will serve at least two thirds of his sentence before he is eligible to be considered for parole.

Read the full story in the 15 August edition of the News & Mail