A TERRIFIED 85-year-old woman has told how an attack in her own home has left her scared and unable to sleep at night.

Hilda Woolgar suffered bruising when she was pushed to the floor when two men claiming to be from Customs and Excise forced their way into her Winton home, Bournemouth Crown Court was told.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mrs Woolgar said: “The whole incident has left me extremely shaken up and terrified to leave the house now.

“I don’t feel safe in my own home any more. I feel too scared to open the windows. I hardly leave the house on my own now.”

Mrs Woolgar, who was assaulted on September 19 last year, went on: “I have had trouble keeping my food down since the incident. I used to pride myself on being a strong, independent woman and now I struggle to sleep at night.

“I feel like my confidence has been well and truly shattered. I don’t feel safe in my own home.”

Bournemouth Crown Court heard two men went to Mrs Woolgar’s address after one told the other he was owed some money by someone who lived there.

One of the men, 22-year-old Tommy Maughan from Southampton, appeared in court for sentence after admitting assault causing actual bodily harm.

The court heard a plastic box containing tobacco and cash was taken during the incident, which took place after the elderly lady answered the door at 1.50pm.

Maughan, a married father-of-two from Kanes Hill Caravan Site in Botley Road, Southampton, had been attempting to sell perfume in Boscombe and Winton before the decision was made to go to Mrs Woolgar’s address.

The part-time gardener sobbed throughout the hearing and spoke up to apologise to Mrs Woolgar.

Judge Brian Forster QC sentenced him to a 12-month community order, to include rehabilitation days with the probation service.

And he spoke of a letter he had received from Maughan's wife, referring to their two children, aged three and 11 months..

He said: "If you feel as much for your family as is described in the helpful letter from your wife you need to stop sometimes to think what is best for them.

"Do you really want them queueing at the prison to come to see you?"