Who was jailed in Norfolk's courts this week?

Sally and Sarah Harcourt

Eastern Daily Press: Sarah Harcourt, left, and Sally Harcourt were sentenced in Norwich Crown Court on Thursday.Sarah Harcourt, left, and Sally Harcourt were sentenced in Norwich Crown Court on Thursday. (Image: Archant)

Two Norwich sisters with more than 100 criminal convictions between them have been jailed for stealing from vulnerable people they had befriended.

Sally and Sarah Harcourt, 44 and 41, of Thatched Pavilion Court, had both pleaded guilty to two counts of theft on March 8 at Singer Court, Calvert Street.

Sally Harcourt had also pleaded guilty to a handling offence of a mobile phone belonging to a man she had befriended, while Sarah Harcourt gave the same plea for a second breach of a CBO for approaching a person over the age of 65.

Both were sentenced for 12 months for a breach of their CBOs and six months for two thefts which will run concurrently.

Mr Ayers said a new CBO is designed to protect vulnerable people in housing and will be punishable by five years' imprisonment if breached by both.

Craig Hicks

Eastern Daily Press: A masked robber with a hammer and a screwdriver caused £23,000 of damage to a shop when brave workers locked him inside.A masked robber with a hammer and a screwdriver caused £23,000 of damage to a shop when brave workers locked him inside. (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Craig Hicks destroyed CCTV cameras and stock as he desperately tried to escape from Steve McDonald News in Thorpe St Andrew after police were called.

David Wilson, prosecuting at Norwich Crown Court, said owner Bose Dasaolu was in the office of the newsagents on Witard Road when Hicks, 39, burst in.

The raid happened at around 4am on January 10.

Hicks, of Silfield Street, Silfield near Wymondham, admitted attempted robbery and criminal damage and was jailed for five-and-a-half years.

Recorder Guy Ayers praised the courage of Mrs Dasaolu and her colleague, saying: "They both behaved so bravely to thwart the attempted robbery."

He told Hicks that he had been armed with a hammer and screwdriver and said: "Even if your intention was to use them in order to gain entry, people who see you with these weapons obviously have to fear that you may be intending to use them to carry out your robbery."

Rob Pollington, for Hicks, said that he had been desperate for cash as he had been taking illicit substances at the time and had been planning to use the weapons to break into the store rather than carry out a robbery.

He said damage was caused as he was trying to escape.