Hungarian teenager, 16, attacks elderly couple in their own home in terrifying robbery that left their beloved dog dead

A 16-year-old Hungarian boy has been sentenced to two years in youth custody after breaking into the bungalow of an elderly couple in Wath upon Dearne, South Yorkshire, in a violent robbery. Jackie Thompson, 82, was kicked to the floor of her own home while her 83-year-old husband George, who has vascular dementia, tried to help her. The couple's Jack Russell-type dog, Sophie, was later found dead beneath a bed. The case highlights the vulnerability of elderly residents to home invasions and the distressing violence involved.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted robbery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Mrs Thompson described returning from shopping to find the youth at her front door, claiming in broken English that she had his parcel. When she asked him to leave, he wedged his foot in the door, forced it open and shoved her aside before the attack unfolded. He was this week ordered to serve two years in youth custody.