Gangster granny, aged 104, gets wish to be arrested at care home

A 104-year-old woman was led away in handcuffs from her care home and bundled away into a police car because she had always wanted to get arrested.

Pensioner Anne Brokenbrow from Stokeleigh Care Home in Bristol was nicked by police to fulfil a bucketlist wish to get into trouble and become a gangster granny, after living a very long life as a good citizen.

When care home staff asked her to make a wish, Ms Brokenbrow, who has dementia, wrote: "My wish is... to be arrested. I am 104 and I have never been on the wrong side of the law."

The grandmother’s wish shocked care staff but it was put on a 'wishing washing line' at a local shop, in the hope someone would help make it come true.

PC Stephen Harding and his colleague PCSO Kelly Foyle soon turned up at the care home to pay the woman a visit. She was promptly put in handcuffs and was taken away in the waiting police car.

It may have been the first time she’d ever been arrested but it was also a first for the police officers as she was the oldest person they’d ever arrested. As she was being cuffed, PC Stephen Harding told her: “You’re a very compliant prisoner”.

In a Facebook post, Stokeleigh Care home stated: 'What a magical day! Today Anne got her wish to be arrested at the grand young age of 104 for being a upstanding citizen!

“It’s something that she has always wanted to experience. Thanks to Avon and Somerset Police and to Alive Activities and Bristol Wishing Washing Line for helping us to make this happen.

“Anne has had a great day she enjoyed every minute from the hand cuffs to the ride in the police car.”

The Bristol Wishing Washing Line project collects and publicly displays the wishes of residents from care homes and has helped thousands of pensioners get their wish.

It is run by the charity Alive Activities, which tweeted about the arrest and stated: ‘Here's the moment when she was handcuffed and driven away in a police vehicle. Anne's wish has now been fulfilled! We just hope it doesn't lead to a care home crime spree..’

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