A MAN who pulled a 71-year-old disabled pensioner out of his wheelchair before robbing him has been sentenced to three years in prison.

And today Marc Fareham's victim relived his horror and said the incident had made him too scared to leave his home.

Fareham, 31, of the Islington Hotel, Great Bolton Street, Blackburn, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court after admitting robbery.

The court heard Fareham robbed Thomas Mullins of a mobile phone, £100 and a packet of tobacco on Monday, May 17 this year.

Mr Mullins, also from Blackburn, had spent the day socialising with friends in the town centre.

He left the Sun Inn, Astley Gate, about 10pm and was attacked by two men as he made his way along Weir Street in his powered wheelchair.

After the case, police revealed Fareham had followed Mr Mullins from the pub, dragged him from his wheelchair and held him down before searching his pockets.

Passers-by intervened and Fareham was arrested as he fled the scene.

Charges against another man were dropped through insufficient evidence.

Mr Mullins, who has used the wheelchair since having a heart attack a year ago, said: "I was in a panic because I did not expect it. I was in shock.

"He just picked me up out of the wheelchair like a baby and dragged me down the street. I didn't know what to do, he had his foot on my chest.

"I was so glad that people in their cars stopped to help me.

"It has made me very nervous when I go out. I am always looking over my shoulder because I think somebody is going to come up to me. I don't go out after dark now."

Mr Mullins believes Fareham had been in the pub and had seen him taking his pension money out of his pocket.

He added: "I had been in town do draw my pension and it was a double pension. They must have seen me because they knew what pocket the money was in."

"I'm just glad he has got what he has got, he deserves it for picking on an old man like me."

DC Martin Hulme of Blackburn CID, and officer in charge of the case, said: "Mr Mullins is very relieved at the sentence but is now afraid to go out after dark.

"To go out and have a quiet pint was one of his only joys in life but he is now frightened to do that."