Man jailed after entering home of man in 70's where he used 'despicable lie' to entice money from him

Darren John Morris, 50, of Legion Close in Poole, appeared at Southampton Crown Court last week, where he was sentenced to eight years, of which he will spend at least four and a half years in prison.

The sentence comes after Morris entered the home of a man in his 70s in the Bitterne area of the city at around 10pm on May 16 2021. Morris told the man that his son had died and that he needed money in order to travel to the funeral.

The man refused to give him money when a short time later this story was proven to be false, Morris then punched him a number of times in the face. The man gave Morris £60 so that he would not be assaulted any further.

The victim sustained injuries to his face for which he was taken to hospital for treatment.

Morris was arrested on suspicion of robbery and released on conditional police bail while further enquiries were conducted. The court heard how in an incident on July 2023, police in Bournemouth attended Morris’ home address to speak to him in relation to an alleged breach of his electronic tag.

Morris became confrontational and stabbed one of the officers in the hand, causing minor injuries. He was remanded into custody and pleaded guilty to the robbery and officer assault in August.

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He has now been sentenced to eight years, of which he will be required to spend at least four and a half years in prison.

Following the sentencing, Police Staff Investigator Hannah Daish, who led the investigation, said: “The way in which Morris used such a despicable lie to try and entice money out of his victim was particularly abhorrent, as was the assault that took place on him in his own home, where he is entitled to be safe from harm.

“Morris’s reckless actions with a knife in the Bournemouth could have resulted in much more serious injuries and it is lucky that the officers involved were not more gravely injured. The police work hard to keep people safe and we will not tolerate assaults or abuse at work – we do not accept that this simply part of the job and will do everything we can to ensure those responsible will be brought to justice.

“We are pleased with this sentence today and that Morris is now in prison where he can’t harm anybody else. The judge noted that Morris presented a danger to the public and should serve time in custody, I hope that this result helps the victim to move forward with their life after enduring such a frightening ordeal.”

In the judge’s sentencing remarks, he commented that Morris’s crimes were a series of unpleasant and serious offences, noting that his actions had been violent and reckless, with little surprise that injuries had been caused as a result.