Man jailed for snatching bag from woman, 88

Montrose man attacked pensioner as she walked to bus stop

A man has been jailed for a “premeditated” robbery from an 88-year-old woman in the street outside her home.

Joseph Rizza, from Montrose, followed Isobella Rourke as she went to catch the bus last December.

The 58-year-old snatched her bag, which contained money and a cash card, and left her on the ground.

Depute fiscal Stewart Duncan said: “At 11am the complainer left her home to use the bus.

“Within the bag was her purse, a debit card and several other items.

“She was aware of the accused behind her.”

He continued: “She stopped on the road outside her house and as she was resting the accused grabbed her canvas bag and this caused her to fall to the ground.”

Police later found the bag and a spectacles case in Rizza’s Westwood Walk address.

Mr Duncan said there had been a newspaper appeal for witnesses and one attended Montrose Police Station, saying they had seen a person matching the description.

Defence agent Billy Rennie said: “One of the strange things about this case is that he hasn’t troubled this court much at all.

“One of his last words to me is that he deserves to be punished.”

Mr Rennie said a letter from his client to the complainer showed “clear remorse”.

“It’s clear to him the shame and disgust he’s brought upon himself, notably because of the age of the complainer,” he said.

“This was totally out of character for him.”

Sentencing Rizza to 160 days in prison for what he described as a “premeditated act”, Sheriff Gregor Murray told him: “Those who are elderly and vulnerable can expect a degree of protection and support from society.

“You deliberately targeted and robbed a very vulnerable lady.

“This is the sort of crime that demands a custodial sentence.” riwatt@thecourier.co.uk