A homeless man who robbed an 86-year-old woman in her own home, leaving her “bruised and in a very distressed state” when he ripped her handbag from her grasp, has been jailed for more than three years.
Lee Thompson, 37, entered the woman's home in Holmes Drive, Wisbech, at about 7pm on July 29 through the back door.
He went into the living room where the woman was sitting and grabbed her handbag. After a struggle Thompson overpowered the woman, ripping the bag from her grasp.
Less than half an hour later a member of the public saw Thompson dumping items in her dustbin on her driveway in Colvile Road, Wisbech.
Inside she found a hooded top, a pair of gloves and the stolen handbag which were all later recovered by police, however £35 cash was missing from the bag.
The hoody was sent off for forensic examination which came back with a DNA match for Thompson on August 2. Within three hours of the results coming back, Thompson was arrested in Napier Court.
He was sentenced to 40 months in prison at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday (September 2) after pleading guilty to robbery.
DC Tom Hunt said: "Thompson's actions have left an elderly member of the community in a very distressed state. The attack caused severe bruising and a lasting fear of further violence.
"This ordeal is not something that anyone would be able to forget but hopefully this sentence will help her get through."
Anyone with information about burglary should call police on 101 or visit www.cambs.police.uk/report.
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
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