A YOUNG drug user tried to grab a handbag from a female pedestrian in a desperate bid to fund his next fix, a court heard.

But the terrified victim managed to cling onto the bag to prevent John Christopher McCourt prising it from her grasp.

Durham Crown Court heard that despite gasping for breath, the 59-year-old angina sufferer refused to let go and continued to scream as loud as she could.

The hooded McCourt, who had a scarf wrapped round his face, released his grip and fled the scene, in New Drive, Seaham, County Durham, shortly after 9.40pm on Friday, July 6.

Jennifer Haigh, prosecuting, told the court that the victim later said she "had never been so frightened in her life".

But she managed to ring police after the ordeal and officers approached McCourt in nearby Station Road, less than 25-minutes later.

Miss Haigh said McCourt's immediate response was: "I haven't been to the railway station". It was followed by: "I'm saying nowt."

He tried to grab something from his clothing, but the officers prevented him and on searching McCourt found a claw hammer hidden down his trousers and a screw driver up a sleeve.

When interviewed, he told police he had drunk a bottle of vodka and taken 30 valium tablets that evening.

On spotting the woman, walking along Dene House Road, he decided to follow her to try to grab her bag, in the hope of getting money for drugs.

Vince Ward, mitigating, described it as, "an opportunistic robbery attempt" for which he was sorry.

Twenty-six-year-old McGough, of Front Street, Fencehouses, near Chester-le-Street, admitted attempted robbery.

The court heard he previously committed robbery and attempted robbery.

Jailing him for two years and nine months, Judge Richard Lowden told McCourt: "It's a serious offence, trying to snatch bags from ladies in the street, so it has to be a custodial sentence."