Crime victim is scared to be left alone after thief snatched her handbag

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on October 3 how Jordan Welch, 22, of Wood Lane, Church Warsop, stole the handbag and its contents near her property at Church Warsop.

Prosecuting solicitor Lynn Bickley said: “The theft concerns a lady who had left a pushchair on July 13 and left her handbag on the pushchair and she was alerted by a neighbour and another neighbour had seen someone acting suspiciously.

“The incident was caught on CCTV and the handbag was recovered.”

The victim stated in a report that she is now nervous to be left in her home alone and every noise makes her jumpy and she is scared someone is in her back garden.

She added that she has also been left suffering sleepless nights and she has become tired and lethargic and she is scared to leave the house unattended and it has affected her social life.

Jobless Welch, who is on benefits, pleaded guilty to the theft.

He also admitted committing an offence while he was subject to a six-month conditional discharge imposed after he previously stole fragrance from Boots.

Welch also pleaded guilty to failing to surrender to custody having been released on bail.

Defence solicitor Steve Brint said Welch is not heavily convicted and the theft was an opportunistic crime after he had seen the handbag and he was subsequently challenged by a number of people.

Mr Brint added that Welch also failed to attend court but he had got the date mixed up and he had moved addresses and he has been swapping between his mother’s and father’s homes.

Magistrates fined Welch £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.