A HEROIN addict turned robber ruined her elderly victim's life, a court heard.

Kerry Tullius, 20, admitted robbing Mary Jane Allan in Manor Street, Middlesbrough, by grabbing her handbag.

Teesside Crown Court heard that after struggling with her attacker, 88-year-old Mrs Allan had fallen backwards to the ground, breaking her shoulder in four places as well as sustaining a hairline fracture to the pelvis, and a head injury.

Patricia Mancina, prosecuting, said that Mrs Allan, who had previously been independent and was out shopping when she was robbed of her handbag, had now been forced to move into a residential home.

She told the court a 17-year-old passer-by had seen what happened and chased and caught Tullius, and when she tried to escape again, caught her and brought her back to the scene until police arrived.

Paul Newcombe, for Tullius, said his client had been on a downward spiral since falling in with a drug dealer and developing a heroin and crack habit. He said she in her past had been kidnapped and, after her boyfriend was jailed, found herself under pressure to pay drugs debts. He added that Tullius, of Errol Street, Middlesbrough, was remorseful and distraught at how low she had sunk.

Judge Les Spittle sentenced Tullius to 18 months in a young offenders' institution, saying she had ruined the rest of her victim's life.

He commended the teenager who caught Tullius and awarded him £100 from public funds.