A JUDGE jailed a man for five years for snatching the handbag of a 72 year-old woman as he drove past her in a stolen car.

Jamie Lee Benson appeared in the dock at Bolton Crown Court in handcuffs to listen to a catalogue of similar offences being read to the court.

The court was told that in 1996, 24 year-old Benson had been jailed for four years for similar crimes in Westhoughton and Horwich.

Benson, of Second Avenue, Atherton, appeared to be sentenced for one robbery, two thefts and taking a vehicle without consent.

Prosecutor Alaric Bassano said Benson snatched the handbag of Margaret Evans who was walking with her daughter Hilary Evans towards Eckersley Precinct in Atherton in March this year.

As Benson drove past he leant out of the window and snatched the old lady's bag causing both women to fall on the floor. The 72 year-old suffered minor injuries and is frightened of going out on her own now.

Two days later 46 year-old Gabrielle Warburton parked her car at Tesco supermarket in Crabtree Lane and she put her handbag on her shoulder as she walked towards the supermarket.

Benson drove past her in a car and snatched the bag from her shoulder leaving Mrs Warburton unhurt but shocked.

Later Karen Duncan discovered her car had been taken from outside her house and as she was using her husband's car she saw her own car being driven by Benson. She gave chase and at one point had Benson cornered. But he became aggressive and being fearful for her young child she had to let him go.

In his next attack Benson mounted the pavement in order to snatch the bag from 68 year-old Margaret Connell who was walking along Flapper Fold Lane in the direction of the Liberal Club.

Brian McKenna, defending, said Benson had been addicted to heroin for a number of years and carried out the attacks to finance buying drugs.

He said that when he had been released from his last sentence he had intended to go home but found that both his mother and sister had moved. While in jail he had come off heroin.

He was living at various friend's addresses until he was severely beaten by a gang of men who thought he had been involved in a crime. When he came out of hospital he became homeless and ended up taking heroin again.

Assistant Recorder Robert Warnock said Benson had an appalling record for a man of his age. He told him: "Preying on the elderly and the weak causes great upset and distress."