A DRUG addict who mugged a terrified man and tried to drag him to a cash machine has been jailed for more than two years.

Burnley Crown Court heard Naheem Mohammed, 31, targeted Yasine Saleh, 40, stealing his mobile phone and bank card out of his hand.

Mohammed, who clocked up his 50th conviction, admitted robbery and was jailed for 25 months.

David Macro, prosecuting, said Mr Saleh was chatting to a friend at about 7.15pm on January 26 in Nelson town centre.

The defendant and another man, who has not been charged over the robbery, appeared.

Mr Saleh said he was then hit by one of the two men. Mr Saleh managed to get away but was followed and dragged on to Scotland Road, to the cash machine.

The prosecutor said Mohammed had hold of Mr Saleh, but let go and the victim jumped over a fence and ran away.

Mohammed, of Gordon Road, Nelson, who started committing crime when he was about 15, was soon arrested because an officer matched the descriptions of the two wanted men to those of two men who had been in Nelson police station earlier that day.

The defendant claimed he had been chasing a man who dropped his card and phone and that he had taken them home and put them in his mother's bag.

Mohammed's mother was spoken to by police and the bank card and phone were found in her handbag.

His record started in 1995, he had 49 previous convictions and was locked up for three years in 2003, for possessing heroin with intent to supply.

The hearing was told in June and December last year, Mohammed had been given suspended jail terms for possessing heroin.

He has already served three years in jail for involvement in heroin dealing and was in breach of two suspended jail terms.