'Callous' thief who targeted elderly woman jailed

A "callous" thief who snatched an elderly woman's handbag outside a shop in York city centre has been jailed.

Daniel Bell, 32, of no fixed abode, saw the 84-year-old woman as an "easy mark", police said.

He grabbed the bag while on his bicycle outside Marks & Spencer on Pavement on 21 July, knocking the woman to the ground and leaving her injured.

Bell pleaded guilty to robbery and other offences at York Crown Court on Tuesday and was jailed for three years and four months.

North Yorkshire Police said the incident was captured on CCTV, with a PCSO recognising Bell after reviewing the footage.

Bell was arrested the following day and was still wearing the clothes he had worn during the robbery.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman explained that she had only just recovered from an operation when the theft took place.

"The actions of the man who robbed me of my handbag have caused injury to my head and have re-injured my left shoulder," she said.

"Being robbed in the street is something you never think would happen to you. You hear about these things happening in big cities like London, but not really in York."

She said the injuries had left her unable to drive and forced her to cancel a holiday.

"I'm a bit more apprehensive about going out now, but I am a sensible person and I try to be careful," she added.

Following sentencing, Det Con Ant Coleman said: "This was a callous, opportunistic crime in which the elderly female victim was deliberately targeted as an easy mark.

"The offender showed complete disregard for the impact of his actions, leaving the victim with a painful head injury after dragging her to the ground."

Bell also pleaded guilty to obstructing or resisting a constable in the execution of their duties and for breaching a suspended sentence he received for a series of unrelated shoplifting offences in York and Harrogate last year.

In addition to his jail term he was ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge.

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