A CONVICTED robber has admitted committing a further snatch from an elderly pedestrian in the street.

Dean Kenyon was jailed for three years and four weeks in 2020 after admitting robbery and two counts of shop theft at Teesside Crown Court.

Durham Crown Court was told that related to him barging into an arthritic woman, knocking her into a shop window, before grabbing her purse, which was never recovered.

The attack in Stockton, in October 2020, left the victim traumatised and afraid to leave her home.

Kenyon, who was living in Stockton at that time, was recognised on CCTV and arrested for the robbery.

Following his release on licence near the mid-point of that sentence, Kenyon was arrested again after carrying out a further robbery offence on an elderly victim.

The court in Durham was told it related to a 79-year-old female pedestrian who the defendant pushed before stealing her handbag, in Medomsley Road, Consett, at about 9pm on January 12 this year.

Appearing via video link from Durham Prison, where he has been recalled to serve the remainder of his previous sentence, the 34-year-old defendant, now of Parkside Crescent, Seaham, admitted the recent robbery offence.

Anne Richardson, prosecuting, said the Crown hopes to soon receive an updated medical report on the victim to assess the full force used by Kenyon in prising her handbag.

Miss Richardson said she also hopes to present the sentencing hearing with an impact statement from the victim as well as a full list of the defendant’s previous offences, mostly for theft and other acquisitive crime.

Read more: Police called to Seaham house over commotion caused by rowing drug user

Chris Morrison, for Kenyon, said in due course he would make submissions that the force used in the latest robbery did not put it in the top category for such offences.

Adjourning sentence until the week starting on February 21, the defendant's 35th birthday, Judge Ray Singh told Kenyon: “Your case will be back that week for an updated medical report on the complainant and a victim personal statement.

“Of course, the court will be considering a sentence of some length, bearing in mind it was committed for an almost identical robbery committed by you in the past.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054