“IF I don’t go home, he may as well have killed me.”

Those are the words of a frail 101-year old woman who was sexually assaulted in her own bedroom and now needs round-the-clock care.

The centenarian had enjoyed living at her Hampshire home for decades but one night earlier this year her life was turned “upside down”.

Samuel Cooper broke into her home in February this year looking to steal cash in order to buy drugs after a night at a pub.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Cooper, 27, attacked her while she lay in bed in her Hampshire home.

Although a jury cleared him of entering the home in order to assault her, he “upended” her body “in order to make it easier” to attack her.

During the attack she suffered cuts to both her knees, damaged her shoulders and in the process “exacerbated the arthritis” in her knees. She can no longer walk and now needs a hoist to help her get in and out of bed and into a chair.

Previously, the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had provided an interview via video link to the court when she was recovering in a nursing home.

“If I don’t go home, he may as well have killed me. He’s altered my life entirely.

"It’s turned my life upside down,” she said.

She is still living at the same home.

Now, after a jury found him guilty by majority of sexual assault, Cooper, of Cedar Road, Hythe, will be spending the next eight years behind bars.

He will also serve six years for the burglary, which he admitted, a sentence which he will serve at the same time.

A jury cleared him of three other charges: trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence, attempted rape, and attempted assault by penetration.

Cooper still denies that he committed the sex attack on her.

Judge Nicolas Rowland said: “She’s lost a huge quality of life and independence, as she been having before then. She now needs residential care 24-hours a day.”

“She can’t now go home,” he added.

Defending barrister Russell Pyne said that Cooper didn’t know her age but knew that she was old.

He added that the struggle lasted for a second, “she fought no longer than a second.”

“Nothing’s been stolen, nothing’s been removed. There was the damage to the window and no other damage.

"Nothing else was stolen, nothing else was disturbed,” Mr Pyne added.

Cooper, who had committed “one or two thefts” previously, had not been convicted of burglary nor a sex offence before.

Mr Pyne added: “It’s his first term of imprisonment. He has expressed considerable remorse for the burglary throughout my dealings with him.”

The court heard how Cooper had been undertaking a drugs and alcohol awareness course while in prison.

During sentencing, Judge Rowland said he was “quite satisfied a physical struggle took place”.

He added: “She fought you off bravely. In my view you stopped when it became clear that the emergency line by her bed had been activated.”

Judge Rowland said that Cooper then tried to “cover his tracks” using Dettol.

“I have no doubt that she suffered severe physical harm.”

He went on: “She was able to live independently, she showed great fortitude and she continues to do so.

“You broke into her home looking for money in order to buy drugs. You were drunk and drugged.

“There was no intent to commit a sexual offence once inside but you took it upon yourself to do so.”

He will be on the sex offenders register for life and will be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults.