A dying cash-strapped pensioner claimed he tried to rob a 95-year-old woman in her Salford home to help pay for his own funeral, a court heard.
Retired pharmacy courier Edwin Morrison, 81, strangled his victim as he shouted, “give me your money” and then bound her hands together with cable ties.
His victim pleaded with him to let her go as she said she could not breathe, but Morrison told her to “shut up”.
Morrison only left empty-handed from the property in Little Hulton, as he was foiled by the “fortuitous” arrival of the woman’s mobile hairdresser, Manchester Crown Court heard.
He was said to have targeted his vulnerable victim after he visited her home previously when delivering medication as part of his former job.
Morrison, who has no previous convictions, retired aged 75 and was diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer in May 2024, the court heard.
Prosecutors said Morrison, of Worsley, Greater Manchester, was regularly gambling at his local bookmaker’s in the months before the attack on January 27 but did not visit the Betfred shop on that day.
He was also said to have expressed “concerns” about funding a new kitchen at the home where he lived with his long-term partner.
But his lawyer said Morrison had gambled throughout his life and did not hatch the robbery plan to pay off any debts.
A psychiatric report concluded he was suffering from a “depressive disorder”, the court heard, by the end of 2025 and in a combination of “depression and despair”, he had decided to end his life in February this year while his partner was away on a break.
Morrison did not want to be a financial burden to his family in paying for his funeral, said his barrister Nick Clarke.
On New Year’s Day, he set up an online GoFundMe appeal titled “Help to bury me” as he outlined his health problems.
He wrote: “More or less been told to go in a corner and see my time out. I have no money to cover funeral costs and other incidentals.”
Mr Clarke told the court: “The GoFundMe page was unsuccessful…so he came up with this particular scheme, which in his mind would not be complicated and not cause the problems that it did.
“He was utterly selfish and self-centred – for perhaps the first time in his life – in committing this offence.
“He is remorseful for what he has done. It is submitted that no real harm was intended. The motivation for this offending was altruistic rather than malicious.”
He said Morrison had, for the most part of his life, been a loving partner and a stepfather to a number of children and grandchildren.
Mr Clarke added: “He was a working man who delivered medicines for a pharmacy and he enjoyed the contact with members of the community.”
Rob Smith, prosecuting, said Morrison walked up the front path of his victim’s property at 11am after he parked his Peugeot car.
Morrison said he was there to inform her about a change in her bin collection day and was invited into the address.
She later told police that they were sitting in her living room when “it all kicked off” when the defendant put his hands around her throat as he demanded cash.
In a victim personal statement, she told the court: “I thought I was going to die.”
Shortly after, mobile hairdresser Michaela Nelson arrived for her weekly appointment and let herself in.
Mr Smith said: “Ms Nelson went into the lounge and saw an old man sitting in front of the victim and assumed he was a friend.
“(The victim) shouted at her to call the police and she at first thought it was a joke.”
Morrison then held his hands up as if he was going to grab the throat of the hairdresser, the court was told, before she ran away and he left the house.
Police arrived shortly after and Morrison was traced to his home address by the movements of his Peugeot, the court heard.
He was charged on January 30 with a number of offences and was remanded into custody.
In March, he pleaded guilty to a single count of attempted robbery.
The prosecution asked for other alleged offences of false imprisonment and intentional strangulation to lie on file.
Judge Peter Horgan adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to assess the dangerousness of Morrison and to find out more information about his health.
He told the defendant: “You know there will be an immediate sentence of custody in this case. The only question is how long.”
Morrison was further remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on April 15.
By PA Reporter
