STOLE FROM WOMAN ON MOBILITY SCOOTER
Yob jailed for 10 months after ‘despicable’ cash snatch at ATM:
A MAN described as the ‘lowest of the low’ has been jailed after snatching cash from an elderly, disabled woman on her mobility scooter.
Darren Michael Lee Owen, 27, of Market Square, Holyhead, also admitted stealing alcohol from three supermarkets in Holyhead and assaulting two police constables.
At Caernarfon Magistrates Court he also admitted failing to surrender to bail.
Jailing him for a total of 10 months, bench chairman Peter Lunt-Williams said: “Very rarely do we see such a despicable crime as the one you’ve committed. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
The court heard Owen “hovered” behind the woman as she manoeuvred her mobility scooter to the cash machine at the Tesco store, Holyhead, at midday last Monday.
Diane Williams, prosecuting, said when the money appeared from the dispenser Owen “pounced”.
“He grabbed the money and ran off.” she said.
Ms Williams said Owen had been responsible for a number of shoplifting offences.
The court heard that, on May 25, he stole £110 worth of alcohol from the Asda store in Holyhead. When challenged, he ran off and several bottles had smashed as he fled.
Two days later, Owen stole alcohol valued at £66 from the Co-op store. Later that day, two police officers in plain clothes spotted Owen and tried to arrest him. He ran off and when they caught up with him he assaulted both officers.
Earlier last week, he snatched £158 worth of alcohol from Tesco and six bottles of rum, worth £128, from Asda.
Glyn Roberts, defending, conceded the offences crossed the custody threshold but suggested the magistrates could suspend the sentence.
He said Owen had been working diligently with the Probation Service until May but had suffered difficulties during the month and had turned again to alcohol.
Referring to the incident involving the elderly woman, Mr Roberts said the offence had been “a spur of the moment” decision. “It was not thought through and not planned. He did not know she would be there when he went to the cash machine,” he said.
In addition to the jail term, Owen was ordered to pay costs and compensation totalling £326. The court ordered these be added to his outstanding fines and deducted from state benefits.
After the hearing, Det Chief Inspector Brian Kearney said: “Owen stole from a vulnerable disabled lady on a mobility scooter proving he is the lowest of the low and so I welcome, with a degree of satis- faction, that he’ll go straight to prison where, frankly, he belongs. He is a prolific offender with a track record of dishonesty and today’s sentence is significant for, not just his latest victim, but also the local communities.
“Our towns and villages are a safer place with him behind bars.”