Pensioner, 94, suffers fractured skull, broken bones and severed finger in horrific attack by intruders as she slept

  • Emma Winnall sedated in hospital after undergoing emergency surgery
  • Metal plates inserted into her arm after attack at her Birmingham home
  • Detectives release picture of her sickening injuries in bid for information
  • Nothing stolen and no motive yet established, investigators reveal
  • Mrs Winnall was wheelchair-bound and helpless, say shocked neighbours
  • Were concerns about ‘unsavoury-looking’ people entering her garden

By
Simon Tomlinson

06:03 EST, 4 May 2012

|

12:02 EST, 4 May 2012

A 94-year-old-woman was left with a fractured skull, broken bones and a severed finger after being brutally beaten by intruders as she slept at home.

Detectives today released a picture of Emma Winnall’s sickening injuries in the hope it will prompt someone to come forward with information.

They said nothing was stolen and have yet to find any motive for the attack, which happened during the night at her home in Moseley, Birmingham.

Brutally beaten: This picture released by detectives shows the horrific injuries sustained by 94-year-old Emma Winnall after being attacked by intruders while asleep at her home in Birmingham

Brutally beaten: This picture released by detectives shows the horrific injuries sustained by 94-year-old Emma Winnall after being attacked by intruders while asleep at her home in Birmingham

The assault happened last Monday and she was found by her carer the next morning.

The attack left her with a fractured skull, a broken arm and wrist, partially severed finger and other multiple injuries.

She is still seriously ill and sedated in hospital having undergone emergency surgery, including having metal plates inserted into her arm, but police say her condition is improving.

Her family were at her bedside at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

No motive established: Police step up patrols and carry out door-to-door enquiries around the area of the block of flats where Mrs Winnall was attacked on Monday night

No motive established: Police step up patrols and carry out door-to-door enquiries around the area of the block of flats where Mrs Winnall was attacked on Monday night

Police refused to say
which of her finger had been severed, but confirmed it was not her
wedding ring finger and said there was no evidence that it was a burglary
which had gone wrong.

Neighbours said Mrs Winnall was wheelchair-bound and had lived on her own since her husband Frank died in 2006 aged 91.

Next-door neighbour Arshad Butt said he had been worried about people
entering her garden through a broken fence.

He said: ‘Emma is such a nice lady, I am devastated that this has happened to her. All the neighbours are in complete shock.

‘It’s normally a very nice area, but recently, I’d been concerned about some broken fences at the front of our garden.’

'Such a nice lady': Mrs Winnall, who has four great-grandchildren, pictured around the 1960s or 70s. She has lived in Birmingham her entire life

Family figure: Mrs Winnall, who has four great-grandchildren,
pictured around the 1960s or 70s. She has lived in Birmingham her entire
life

He added: ‘The fence has been broken down and I’d noticed a lot of unsavoury-looking people walking through our garden, and using it as a short cut.

‘I haven’t felt safe recently with so many people I don’t know coming so close to our houses. Emma is a very independent lady and goes shopping to the village most days by herself.’

She has lived in Birmingham her whole life and worked at the city’s small arms factory during World War Two.

Mrs Winnall, who has five children,
seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, featured in her local
newspaper in 2001 when it emerged she still used the same teapot she
first bought 61 years earlier.

She told her paper: ‘I have other teapots but I don’t use them.

‘They don’t keep the tea as warm so I
use my aluminium one instead of my crockery ones. It’s well made.
That’s why it has lasted.’

‘It’s normally a very nice area, but recently, I’d been concerned about some broken fences at the front of our garden. The fence has been broken down and I’d noticed a lot of unsavoury-looking people walking through our garden’

                                  Neighbour Arshad Butt

Her home is located in a block of
flats just around the corner from Moseley Bog, a well-known nature
reserve which inspired author J.R.R Toilkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’
and ‘The Hobbit’.

Police officers were carrying out door-to-door enquiries in the quiet cul-de-sac today.

West Midlands Police Detective Chief Inspector Sarb Johal, said: ‘It doesn’t appear anything was stolen from the lady’s home and the interior was largely undisturbed.

‘We believe an implement of some sort was used during the assault. Our forensics experts are scouring the property in the hope of shedding some light on exactly what happened.

She suffered very nasty injuries and ones which, given her age, could well have been life threatening.

‘She is showing signs of improvement in hospital; our thoughts are with her and hopefully she will make a full recovery.

‘Mrs Winnall’s daughter has asked us to issue an image of her mother in hospital showing the extent of her injuries in the hope it will stir consciences and persuade anyone with information to contact us.’

The victim’s carer raised the alarm at 9am on Tuesday morning but the attack could have occurred at any time from 9pm the previous night.

Det Chief Insp Johal added: ‘This is a truly sickening attack on a defenceless, frail lady as she slept in her own home. Mrs Winnall had nothing of note to steal.

‘It was a senseless assault and I’d urge anyone with suspicions about who may be responsible to get in touch straight away.

‘The attacker may well have mentioned something to a friend or relative or perhaps someone remembers a person acting oddly that evening or the following morning.

‘I’m sure the answer to this vicious assault lies in our local communities so we’re appealing for help to try and trace the offender.’

Anyone with information is asked to contact West Midlands Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
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The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Why? Why would ANYONE do this? I hope, when whoever did this is caught , they are punished to the fullest extent of the Law. How very, very sad. My prayers are with you and your family, Mrs Winnall.

How could they do that to a defenceless old lady?

Or love her, I bet she was a little gem that helped us for our freedom in the last world war, and as many of her age to be treated this way….I hope this pc brigade and these lawyers etc will hold their heads in shame. Untill its what goes around comes around, (The criminals will get justice) and we will be able to walk our streets safely and live in our homes…But i doubt it as money to them comes first….

Sending the fetid scum who did this terrible thing to jail is not enough. They should be put in stocks for the public to do with what they will, and then incarcerated for life (no TV, internet, and gymnasium etc)!!
When, oh when will we have REAL meaningful punishment for these crimes to our elderly and fragile.

Thank you ken Clarke for your liberal attitude towards thugs who commit these crimes knowing they will merely get a slap on the wrist. Cameron has lost the electorate with his liberal government and broken promises to crack down on crime

And when you retaliate the police arrest you!

I couldn’t read the whole article it’s to upsetting. She may never get over it being the age she is.(I hope she does)My nan’s neighbours where burgled at night the wife ended up in hospital later died. Which then left him on his own with no family. So sad that these selfish people are only thinking of them selves when they need a quick fix or desperate for money etc.

The bleeding hearts brigade must be feeling extremely proud of themselves for constantly excusing this sort of behaviour.

Prison is no longer a deterrent, the animal who did this would probably be a teenager and would be charged with Misdemeanour or mild assault. This is Attempted murder in my opinion, and real governments will give 25years – life imprisonment. A lady of this age would be held sacred in other societies. But our brain-dead ministers and judges will let the beast out before the bruises heal.

Sick

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