A ROBBER who mugged a 72-year-old woman as she tended her grand-daughter's grave, has been jailed for five years.

Craig Lister, aged 22, of Platt Hill Avenue, Deane, snatched the pensioner's handbag when she visited Heaton cemetery with a relative in September last year.

As she stood next to the grave Jean Fitton's handbag was grabbed from behind causing her to fall. She cut her leg so badly she needed stitches.

The bag contained £645 in cash and jewellery which was never recovered.

Lister and a 13-year-old who was with him, spent the cash buying trainers in shops in Manchester. They had originally gone into the area armed with a screwdriver to break into cars, but then spotted Mrs Fitton.

The victim said the money was going to be used to buy a headstone for her grand-daughter Marina, who died when she was just 27.

The court heard that Lister had not been out of jail long before he committed the robbery and has since returned to prison.

Sentencing Lister and the 13-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, Judge Derwin Hope said: "This was a despicable act. The people of Bolton should be allowed to pay their respects to the their dead without being the subject of criminal acts."

The 13-year-old boy, who admitted handling the contents of Mrs Fitton's stolen purse, was given an eight-month detention and training order.

The youth also admitted two other robberies and an attempted robbery with a 17-year-old teenager.

The 17-year-old youth received a 10-month detention and training order. The 13 year-old was given an eight-month detention and training order.

Lister appeared at Bolton Crown Court for sentence yesterday. He admitted one count of robbery.

The court heard that Lister had a long criminal record, but had not committed any robberies or been involved in serious violence in the past, and he had the support of his family.

The 13-year-old was also said to be responding well to work by various agencies and the 17-year-old, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered from a hyper-kinetic conduct disorder which caused him difficulties at home and school.