A man tried to snatch a handbag from the hands of a 75-year-old woman in broad daylight as she was carrying her shopping.
William Ellison approached the victim from behind before he grabbed her in a headlock and kicked her in the back while trying to steal her bag.
Despite being in pain during the struggle, she kept a tight grip on her bag, and the 37-year-old ran off after he was disturbed by a member of the public.
She managed to return home following the frightening incident and her daughter called the police.
Her handbag was damaged during the attempted robbery which happened in Gateford Road, Worksop, at around 11 am on 29 April 2023.
She had left the Aldi store and was walking along Gateford Road, towards the town centre, when she was targeted by Ellison.
Following police inquiries, Ellison was arrested and subsequently charged. He went on to plead guilty to a charge of attempted robbery.
Ellison, of Watson Road, Worksop, was jailed for two years and four months when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (28 July 2023).
Inspector Julian Eminson-Ferry, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This incident will have undoubtedly been terrifying for this vulnerable victim, who was emotionally, physically, and socially impacted by what happened to her that morning.
“I commend her bravery throughout and hope it brings her some comfort now Ellison has been sentenced.
“I’d like to reassure people that Nottinghamshire Police takes all reports of robbery very seriously, we will investigate and do everything in our power to bring offenders like Ellison to justice.”
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