A VIOLENT thug who burgled a nurse’s bedroom while she slept and left another man “struggling to sleep” after hitting him over the head with a baton while at a cashpoint has been jailed.

Harry Fryett, 27, Belle Vue Place, Southend, approached the man from behind while he was at a cash machine on Southend High Street in the early hours of December 10, 2022.

Fryett struck the man over the head, which caused a gash requiring hospital treatment and staples, before demanding cash from the victim, and making off on a bicycle with the stolen £50 towards Southchurch Road.

(Image: Essex Police)

Officers located Fryett on the road, with help from CCTV operators and Southend Council, who then attempted to flee and was arrested and charged with robbery.

The baton and cash were found, while forensics revealed the victim’s DNA on the tip of the weapon.

While still on conditional court bail, Fryett also entered a woman’s flat in Westcliff on May 26, 2023, and was discovered by a nurse as he rifled through her bedroom drawers.

The woman, who had been sleeping following a night shift, found Fryett and wrestled a necklace from him after he tried to convince the victim he was “with the police” and was there to warn her about her ‘insecure’ home.

(Image: Essex Police)

Police said they analysed CCTV footage before identifying Fryett on June 8, 2023. He was positively identified at an identification procedure by the victim.

The necklace the victim grabbed from Fryett was sent off for forensic analysis and returned a positive match for his DNA.

He was charged with burglary.

At Basildon Crown Court on February 26, he admitted to the robbery and burglary charges.

Appearing at the same court for sentence on August 23, he was jailed for a total of four years and ten months.

In impact statements, Fryett’s victims recalled the lasting effects of his crimes.

The man said: “As a result of this incident I was initially in complete shock, I couldn’t believe someone had assaulted me like this for all of £50.

“In the days after the incident I was struggling to sleep, reliving the incident in my head.

“I kept thinking I should have done something different and playing out different scenarios about how I wouldn’t have ended up in Southend that evening.

“When I go out now, I am very wary of public spaces and seeing people about.

The woman said: "Straight after the offence I could not sleep.

“I dream about the incident, especially due to what happened – waking up to find him in my bedroom. This invasion of my personal space and privacy has had a lasting effect on me.

“I still experience sleeplessness and have the occasional nightmare about it.

“At first, I could not even leave the house, and it was only with the help of victim support that I have gained the confidence to leave the house.”

Detective Constable Michelle Rawson, of Southend crime investigation department, said: “Fryett is a prolific offender who paid little attention to court orders and bail conditions, showing a determination to keep committing serious crimes which terrified his victims.

“He flippantly thought he could get away with committing these brazen offences, but we were able to gather solid evidence against him and ensure he was left with little choice but to plead guilty.

“He showed little to no regard to the harm his offending caused.

“Thanks to the support of both victims in these cases, who have endured lengthy waits for the court cases to conclude, he will spend a considerable term behind bars.

“Our commitment to tackling serious offending, such as robbery and burglary, in the Southend area is consistent and unconditional.

“These offences left the victims with lasting physical and psychological trauma – they are serving lengthy sentences in their own ways for offending that simply should not have fallen victim to.

“We continue to work with partners, and within our own force across community, local policing teams and CID, to investigate and respond swiftly to such offences when they do occur.”