Jean Knox arrived at court in her wheelchair with a purple shawl around her shoulders and a victim impact statement.
The Barrie senior faced a young man who terrorized her in her home and described how the disturbing crime changed her life.
Two teens, aged 16 and 17, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were charged with break and enter, assault and mischief in connection with the incident on Dec. 29, 2016.
In the statement read out by her son Ian, Knox said she was 'absolutely alone' when two intruders entered her home and ransacked it in the early morning hours.
"Two hooded figures came into my room," she recounted. The terrified senior pretended to be asleep.
"They poured something over me and at that moment I thought it was blood."
Court heard the intruders poured maple syrup on Knox and vandalized her home by smearing cooking oil, ketchup and peanut butter on walls and furniture during the destructive spree.
"I am 98-years-old, a polio survivor confined to a wheelchair and almost completely deaf," Knox said.
"I am angry and upset that I was forced out of my home for six weeks...devastated that it was ruined with oil and syrup....It angers me deeply that these young men were so callous in the home I built with my husband in 1950."
Knox moved into the Barrington Retirement Residents while her home was cleaned, repainted and new furniture was bought.
She noted the cost of it all including $2,000 alone for her new security system.
Knox said she enjoyed living in her home and was able to do so with the help of others.
But the break in raised concerns about her safety and security so her family installed an alarm system.
"Without the security system I would be fearful of being in my home," she said, adding the crime she endured will frighten other seniors.
"What happened to me could have happened to anyone."
The 16-year-old who has pleaded guilty to break and enter, mischief and assault stood up in court on Tuesday, faced his elderly victim and made a tearful statement.
"I wasn't thinking that night and I was struggling a lot in life," he said. " I thought that drugs and alcohol would help with everything."
He said he was never aware of anything that happened that night and woke up 'clueless' the next day.
"Anything I can do to help. I'm willing to take whatever they give me. I'm not going to blame it on anyone else."
Knox's son relayed the court proceedings to the hearing impaired senior by writing on a white board.
Defence lawyer Angela McLeod argued that the crime is 'not akin' to a home invasion and wasn't violent.
"The assault is the pouring of the maple syrup. As horrifying and demeaning and demoralizing that is...It was an act of degradation," said McLeod.
The defence is asking for a sentence of 6 months deferred custody and two years probation.
Court heard the teen had a 'difficult childhood' with an abusive father and suffers from mood, substance abuse and behavioural disorders.
The crown will present sentencing submissions on Friday.
A second teen is still before the courts.
