A WOULD-BE robber under the influence of drink and drugs beat a pensioner with a stick when she would not hand over her handbag, a court heard yesterday.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Sean Hewitson took sleeping tablets after drinking, before following his victim at 6.30am in Middlesbrough's Princes Road.

Ian West, prosecuting, said Hewitson, 30,committed the offence on June 19, 2000, and the case had taken so long to get to court because the defendant had absconded.

He said the 68-year-old woman suspected she was being followed and slowed to look in a shop window to test the theory.

Hewiston slowed, too, then approached the woman at Gresham Road and demanded her bag, said Mr West.

There was then, he said, a tug-of-war over the bag.

The woman held on but Hewitson produced a stick and began to rain blows on the woman's arm and back, said Mr West.

She was left with severe bruising.

This was seen by another woman who ran over to help and Hewitson ran away. He was caught after someone rang Crimestoppers, said Mr West.

John Walker, for Hewitson, said the offence was entirely out of character and said he had nothing similar on his record.

He said Hewitson, of Lichfield Road, Linthorpe, wished to express a heartfelt apology and said the defendant himself had been the victim of street robberies.

Mr Walker said that in one incident he had his neck slashed.

Recorder Julian Hallam jailed Hewiston for three and a half years for the offence of assault with intent to rob.