Woman mugged 89-year-old on walking frame after she struck up conversation with her at bus-stop

Kirsty Moxon struck up a conversation with her victim at a bus-stop on Roughwood Road, in the Wingfield area of Rotherham, at 1.30pm on November 17 last year, said prosecutor Laura Marshall.

Moxon covered her face with a back and white scarf before grabbing the woman's handbag strap, which was wrapped around her walking frame, and dragging her face down into the road.

The woman was found sitting in the road, shaking, and clearly in shock, said Ms Marshall. Her glasses were smashed, and she was bleeding from the nose and face.

She was treated at hospital for a fractured arm, a shoulder injury and a one-and-a-half inch cut under her eye. But she was too afraid to remain in hospital because the stolen handbag contained bills with her address, which she had planned to pay with £300 in cash.

CCTV showed Moxon asking passersby for money before the attack.

She was traced to an address on Whitegate Road, where officers found she had just injected herself with drugs, at 2.40pm. Officers returned at 5pm and found her hiding under the sofa, clutching bank notes in one hand and needles in another.

At the police station she was searched and found with one wrap of crack cocaine, the court heard.

She tested positive for heroin and crack and had such a high temperature because of withdrawal, officers thought she had Covid-19.

Ms Marshall said: "(The victim) was clearly targeted because of her vulnerability. She was dragged to the floor and the defendant then ran and left her. She tried to conceal her identity and hide evidence."

In a statement, her victim said: "It's not about the money, because that can be replaced. It's the fear."

Joy Merriam, mitigating, said Moxon has no previous convictions and was "deeply ashamed."

"It was a horrible offence and she will live with that for the rest of her life," she added.

Earlier that day Moxon's drug dealer burned her on the legs and told her she would be forced to work as a prostitute unless she repaid a debt.

"She married a heroin addict and her life descended into a spiral of addiction," said Ms Merriam. "She is clearly a very vulnerable woman who has been exploited."

While in prison she has used her time constructively, Ms Merriam added. She has completed drug courses and works as a cleaner. She has new medication for her mental health problems.

Moxon, 31, of Whitegate Walk, pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of a Class A drug.

Recorder Felicity Davies told her: "This was an attempted handbag snatch which went wrong, but it was aggravated by the targeting of an elderly person, together with your attempt to dispose of your scarf and some of the property belonging to the complainant."

She jailed Moxon for 32 months on Thursday.

Read the latest cases from Sheffield Crown Court here.

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