An 83-year-old man who fell in love with the 26-year-old heroin addict who robbed him has broken off their engagement – after she stole from him for a second time.
Keith Williams took pity on junkie Michelle Davies after he found her sleeping rough in the stairwell of his flats and invited her to stay with him.
But just weeks later she snatched his wallet containing £200 and was jailed for two-and-a-half years after a passer-by reported the crime.
As retired construction worker Keith watched her being sentenced he realised he was in love and proposed to her on a prison visit.
She accepted and the pair enjoyed three happy years of engagement following her release from prison.
But the wedding is off after Davies stole a further £200 from Keith and was jailed for a year at Bristol Crown Court.
Following the hearing Keith, who still wears his engagement ring engraved ”Michelle”, said he knows she ”will never change”.
”I thought I might be able to help her with the drugs but drug addicts do not seem to want to be helped,” he said.
”When you’re on drugs like that you’ve got a hell of a job to turn it around. People warned me but I never thought she would do it again to me.
”I can’t get her out of my mind. I’m glad she only got 12 months in prison but I know I can’t have anything to do with her now. She’ll never change.”
Keith first met Davies in 2006 when she was sleeping rough in the stairwell of his flats in Hartcliffe, Bristol, where he has lived for 36 years.
The pensioner, who needs crutches to walk after four hip replacement operations, took her into his home but on May 19 2006 she snatched his wallet containing £200.
Davies, who first took heroin aged eight years old, was jailed for two-and-a-half years and Keith began visiting her fortnightly in Eastwood Park prison.
Keith, who has been divorced three times, plucked up the courage to propose and she immediately said ‘yes’ before they exchanged engraved gold rings.
Despite an age gap of 57 years, they enjoyed three happy years of engagement after she was released from prison.
But on May 2 this year Davies stole £200 from a table on Keith’s living room.
She assaulted Keith when he confronted her about the money and she was jailed for one year for theft and common assault at Bristol Crown Court on Friday.
Judge Mark Horton said: ”It’s hard to ignore how low a person can stoop in life to steal from a vulnerable old man, of mature years, who has an undoubted physical impairment, of which you were aware, and who had extended the hand of forgiveness and friendship to you.
”In my judgement you have, because of your addiction, learned how to talk the talk when it comes to dealing with people when you need their help to get you out of the trouble you’ve got yourself into.”
Should have read http://www.stickmanbangkok.com and moved to Thailand when he turned 50. Happily Ever-after.