Heartbroken Morley family say 'they died too' after grandmother collapsed during burglars’ break-in

Nhi Muoi Wai collapsed and later died when two young robbers tried to break into her Millside Walk home in Morley and demanded the keys to a high-powered car parked on the driveway. It was later found the fatal stroke suffered by the 64-year-old grandmother was linked to the stress of the situation.

Twenty-year-old Samuel Hanrahan and 18-year-old Jerry were sentenced to more than 18 years between them after they admitted charges of attempted robbery and manslaughter.

The family of Mrs Wai, who has six children and grandchildren, provided heartfelt statements read out at Leeds Crown Court. It included one from her daughter Emmie Wai on behalf of her children. It read: “Our mum was taken too soon. The day her life ended was the day ours ended too.

"We can never get our lives back to normal and we have to deal with this overwhelming sadness and loss for the rest of our lives. This has left the deepest hole in our hearts and we all miss our beautiful and kind mother so much.”

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Suzanne Hall, who led the investigation, said: “The family of Mrs Wai have been left completely devastated by her death, which was totally unnecessary and was a direct result of the selfish criminal actions of this pair.

“They created an absolutely terrifying situation when they targeted the family’s home that afternoon. The level of fear their threatening behaviour produced was just too much for Mrs Wai to take, with utterly tragic consequences.

“A thorough and comprehensive investigation of the incident resulted in these men being identified and arrested. We were determined to see them held fully responsible, not just for the attempted robbery but for their involvement in Mrs Wai’s death that would not otherwise have occurred had they not been there acting the way they did.

“The strength of that evidence and the case against them resulted in their guilty pleas, and also meant the family were able to avoid the additional strain of a criminal trial.

“We hope it will give them some degree of comfort to know that these two men have now been brought to justice and held accountable for the pain they have caused.”

Detective Superintendent Marc Bowes, head of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “This was a very challenging investigation, and it is testament to the dogged determination of DI Hall and her investigation team that we have been able to secure manslaughter convictions against both these men which fully capture the extent and impact of their criminality.

“It should send a very clear deterrent message to others that we will always do everything we can, on behalf of victims and their families, to take the strongest possible action against those whose offending causes such harm in our communities.”