A Dundee sheriff yesterday demanded that a 20-year-old mugger hear the consequences of his actions on his 72-year-old disabled victim.
Mrs Moira Kelly (72) had been collecting her pension from the post office and Jamie Stevens grabbed her purse as she walked with the aid of her three-wheeled walker.
Stevens, a prisoner at Perth Prison, admitted that on March 1 in Strathmartine Road, he assaulted Moira Kelly, c/o Tayside Police HQ, West Bell Street, struggled with her and robbed her of a purse containing cash, cards and papers.
Sheriff Alistair Duff was handed a victim statement form, which he asked depute fiscal Vicki Bell to read out.
He said, “I think it’s important that the accused hears the effect of his actions upon this lady and that it is acknowledged publicly.”
Ms Bell said that Mrs Kelly suffered from fybromyalgia and diabetes, cannot hold a pen easily and her sight is affected. Her statement was recorded by a Victim Support co-ordinator.
Asked to explain how the crime had affected her she said, “My neck is still sore and I am taking painkillers to ease the pain.
“I am frightened to go out and when I do go out I am scared there is somebody behind me and it will happen again.
“I am more wary about answering the door to people and have put a chain on my front door.Pensioner’s fear”I still get anxious and the doctor has given me medication for this.”
She added, “I lost £80 which is a lot of money to me as I am a pensioner.
“I now go into town by taxi rather than taking the bus which costs a lot more.”
Ms Bell earlier said Mrs Kelly has trouble walking and uses a walker which has a battery-powered panic alarm.
She had a black handbag, within which she kept two purses, one being brown leather and one red.
At about 10am on Monday, March 1, Mrs Kelly left home and went to a sheltered housing complex nearby to collect lottery winnings of £20. She also had about £60 in her brown purse.
After leaving the complex, she walked to the post office in Strathmartine Road to collect her pension.
She went to Hillclock News on Mains Road at around 10.30am and bought newspapers and rolls.
Stevens entered the shop. Mrs Kelly tried to leave the shop but struggled to open the door, which Stevens held open for her.
Once outside the shop, Ms Bell said Stevens acted in a way which made Mrs Kelly suspicious, and she “placed her thumb over the button of her panic alarm.”
She added, “He then appeared from behind her on her right side, stood in front of her and grabbed at her handbag.”
Ms Bell added, “She activated her panic alarm and struggled with the accused. During this struggle, the accused managed to unzip her handbag, reach in and steal her brown purse.”
The depute fiscal said a witness saw Stevens struggling with Mrs Kelly and shouted at him, causing him to run off into North Street.
A passenger on a bus also saw the incident and got off to give chase. The bus driver radioed her control room to report the incident.
Four police officers attended along with police dog Freddy.
One of the officers recovered a Lidl carrier bag containing a pair of jeans. Meanwhile, Freddy continued tracking through a playpark towards Mains Road, where the brown purse was found in a bin minus the £80.
Mrs Kelly was shown CCTV footage from the shop and was able to identify Stevens as her attacker.
He was detained the following evening at the Lily Walker Centre.
Interviewed on Wednesday, March 3, he was asked about the crime and said, “I done it. Naebody else was there. I just grabbed her purse and ran.”
Asked to explain his actions he replied, “I was wandering aboot to see what I could dae to get money, I didn’t want it to happen, I just couldnae help it.”
He said he got a taxi in Fairbairn Street and went to buy heroin with the stolen money.
Sheriff Duff remanded Stevens in custody for the preparation of a social inquiry report until April 27.