A 76-year-old man no longer feels safe in his house after being bashed during a home invasion in March.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The man submitted a victim impact statement to the Launceston Supreme Court as part of Rose-Lee Clarke's sentencing.
The East Devonport woman pleaded guilty to aggravated armed robbery, two counts of aggravated burglary and stealing when she appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court in April.
IN OTHER NEWS
Clarke was with co-accused Tara Jayne Lewis, 29, and Shelly May Freeman, 30, on the night of the burglary.
The trio had dinner at Ms Lewis' house before deciding to go for a drive because they were "bored".
Ms Lewis drove the women and her young daughter to pick up beanies, gloves, stockings, a baseball bat and a hammer, and then they went to Fingal.
Clarke, 24, told police she wasn't aware Freeman's mum lived across the road from the victim.
Ms Lewis' daughter stayed with Freeman's mum while the trio put on their disguises and went across the road to rob the man.
The victim said he went to bed at 7.30pm but about midnight he heard footsteps in his house and he could see a woman holding what he thought was a torch.
The man called out: "Who is that, who is here?"
Moments later Clarke and Ms Lewis, who were wearing masks and wielding a metal baseball bat and hammer, demanded money from him and began beating him.
Ms Clarke told police she had the bat and was swinging it around.
Despite telling the women he didn't have any money, the demands continued with Freeman shouting from the hallway she had a gun and again asked for cash.
In a bid to get the women to leave, the victim said there was money at his property next door.
The women tried to tie the victim up before they left, but he managed to fight them off.
In his statement, which was read to the court by crown prosecutor Luke Brett, the man said he thought the last hit to his head would kill him.
The man was covered in blood when he got to the St Marys District Hospital, with staff needing to clean him before they could ascertain his injuries. He sustained a five-centimetre laceration to his skull that required stitches, as well as broken teeth, a blood nose, and bruising on his upper body and thighs.
The man said he'd cried a lot since that night.
"My eyes run all the time since I got bashed," he said.
Clarke started crying when the victim detailed the negative affect his injuries had on his life, including needing to get meals on wheels because he couldn't take care of himself the way he once did and losing the ability to work in the garden - something he loved and did for other people.
"I can still see what happened in my head. I don't feel safe anymore ... they took that off me," he said.
"It ruined my life."
Clarke was remanded to be sentenced on May 17.
Her co-accused Freeman has pleaded guilty to her charges and will be sentenced in June, but Ms Lewis has pleaded not guilty and will appear in the Launceston Supreme Court on July 22.
Mr Brett said the state planned to call Clarke as a witness if Ms Lewis' case goes to trial.