An East London drug addict, who stalked and mugged a 74 year-old pensioner of £600 cash, leaving the victim with a broken arm and deep gash over her eye, has been jailed for six years.
Hayley Pearce, 23, (pictured) of Church Walk, Stoke Newington attacked the victim – who uses a walking stick – moments after she left a Post Office with the money.
She pleaded guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court to robbing the pensioner in Richmond Road, Hackney on September 6, last year after following her from nearby Kingsland Road.
As Pearce grabbed the lady’s handbag she was thrown to the ground – losing consciousness and suffering extensive bruising and losing her false teeth - such was the impact.
The defendant then simply grabbed the cash from the handbag and made off.
Pearce was initially identified as she had also accessed her own Post Office account shortly before the attack.
Scene enquiries then traced Pearce to a nearby Probation Service office, where she had an appointment after receiving a community order for theft.
She was arrested ten days later and admitted taking the cash to fund her class A drug habit and pay off debts.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Simon Walsh, said: “Hayley Pearce deliberately targeted a vulnerable elderly member of the public in order to steal the victim’s pension.
“She took care to attack the victim from behind, robbing her in an isolated location away from CCTV cameras and witnesses.
“She spent the victim’s cash on class A drugs.
“What Pearce didn’t take into account was the reaction of the local community who were appalled at her actions.
“Numerous members of the community came forward to assist this investigation and it is due in part to the evidence obtained from these witnesses that Pearce pleaded guilty to this offence.”
She's sorted her life out now helping valuable women and drug addicts released from prison
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