‘You are a thug devoid of an ounce of common decency’

new sentencing guidelines for what one hardened police officer described as the worst robbery he had seen in his 20-year career.

The heartless thief, who was under the influence of drink and drugs at the time of the attack, admitted robbery and was sentenced to a total of nine years and seven months at Hull Crown Court.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Hollingworth: “You are a callous individual, devoid of an ounce of common decency.

“Your sustained attack upon Mrs Swale, an 89-year-old lady, was truly vile.”

“I viewed that recording with everyone else in court. The full horror of what you did was plain for all to see.”

The court heard how the brute conned his way into his victim’s home on the pretext of trying to sell her some cut-price meat.

While pretending to negotiate he asked Mrs Swale if he could use her upstairs lavatory.

Instead the pensioner heard Hollingworth making his way through to her bedroom and starting to rifle through her belongings.

The footage shows Mrs Swale struggling to steady herself as she grips the door and furniture when the robber returns to her living room.

Hollingworth then places his left arm around her waist before thrusting her to the floor in a “rugby tackle” manoeuvre.

Mrs Swale was left battered and bruised by the ordeal and needed hospital treatment. She told police: “It’s flipping was terrible. “It was bloody painful. “I couldn’t stop crying after it happened. I don’t understand these people.”

Mrs Swale, who also suffers from diabetes, was so shaken by her awful, I’ll tell you. It ordeal at the hands of Hollingworth that she now refuses to return to her home of more than 60 years.

Detective Constable Lee Sims described the robbery as the worst of its kind he had experienced in his career.

He said: “This was a despicable offence against a very vulnerable elderly woman in her own home.

“The CCTV footage of the incident is harrowing to watch with the victim weakly trying to protect herself as he rips the rings off her fingers.

“The incident itself left the victim very shaken and her family was devastated she had been targeted in this way. Fortunately, as a force we were able to deploy quickly to the incident, conduct house-tohouse and also identify and arrest Hollingworth.

“I know this was a huge relief for his victim and her family.”