'Night Watcher' victim: He put a shotgun to my chest
Susan Morris was dragged across the floor by her hair by a man brandishing a shotgun. This is her terrifying story.
Tuesday 30 January 2018 12:35, UK
Susan Morris suffered a broken jaw and lost a tooth when the 'Night Watcher' raided her Surrey home armed with a sawn-off shotgun.
Here the 61-year-old describes what it was like coming face to face with the man being hunted after a series of meticulously planned raids across the South East:
I heard an extremely loud voice behind me saying, "Take me to the safe, I want the jewellery."
He was touching me the whole time - he was literally gripping me. I was covered in bruises - and not just my arms. He bruised my body and my breasts.
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I immediately said to him, "I'll get you the jewellery out of the safe, you can have it, and then just get out."
He went upstairs with me to the dressing room, and I quickly opened the safe.
He specifically asked me, "Are you alone?" I told him it was just me and the dog. She's a domestic dog, not a guard dog, and she was cowering on the bed.
I thought, "Why did you tell him that? He's going to shoot your dog."
He told me to get on the floor - that was the moment when I thought he was going to rape me. I was very frightened - absolutely petrified - it's just a horrible feeling.
All that time I did not tell him that my husband was coming back. I absolutely did not want him to know, because I feared for Stephen's life.
I knew what would happen if Stephen came through the door in the middle of all of this.
He was gripping me, and he was unbelievably strong, really big and holding a shotgun. He made me touch the shotgun to show me it was real and not plastic.
It started to get even more frightening, because he pointed the shotgun at my chest and I literally thought, "This is it, it's all over. He's going to kill me."
He got more and more angry, and started hitting me. He hit me three times in face and head. It really hurt.
Afterwards I thought, "This man knows how hard to hit me to frighten me but to not knock me out."
So I had the shotgun at my chest. I still said I couldn't open the second safe because I didn't have the code.
All I could see were his eyes, because he had a balaclava on, and he had gloves too. He started getting things from his pocket.
I was having trouble getting my bracelet and ring off - I was afraid he was going to cut me or cut off my finger.
Then I realised he was getting out cable ties, and was going to tie me up.
I finally told him my husband was coming home. He said, "I'll shoot him." He was very angry.
He told me to get on the floor again, and then dragged me by my hair across the floor. It really hurts when someone drags you by your hair. I was covered in bruises, all along my side and on my foot.
He started to go towards the door, and I told him, "You've got loads of jewellery, now get out of my house."
He seemed to have decided to leave, and he pulled me down the stairs to the front door, and I unlocked it. I was still terrified he was going to wait in the garden for Stephen.
It was a wonderful moment when I finally slammed that front door behind him, but I'm now afraid to stay in the house on my own, I'm very jumpy and nervous of loud noises.
I'm taking medication for anxiety. It's had a massive effect. I love my home, but I don't feel comfortable there anymore.
Anyone with information is urged to call 101 and ask for Surrey Police, Operation Prometheus, or email [email protected].
Anonymous calls can be made to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.