ROBBER William Lee Rawlinson had carefully planned to steal a pensioner's handbag, a court was told.

The 40-year-old bragged to a work colleague on September 4, the day before the incident, that he was planning a bag snatch, Bolton Crown Court heard.

The next day, he stole a can of lager from Bargain Booze for "Dutch courage", and decided to target someone leaving the post office.

Rawlinson, of Horridge Street, Bury, started talking to his 81-year-old victim as she waited for a bus on Bury Road in Tottington, after leaving the post office.

After a few minutes of friendly conversation, he snatched her handbag and fled, David Farley, prosecuting, told the court.

The pensioner shouted: "Stop him! Stop him!" as he escaped, and a resident who had witnessed the incident chased Rawlinson along Bury Road.

Postman Bernard Sutcliffe, who was working in the area also heard the pensioner's calls, and caught Rawlinson 100 yards from the scene. Although the handbag was retrieved, Rawlinson himself managed to flee, Mr Farley said.

Rawlinson was arrested shortly afterwards and immediately admitted the offences.

Mr Farley said Rawlinson had carefully planned the incident and targeted a vulnerable pensioner because she may have collected money from the post office. Rawlinson pleaded guilty to robbery of the handbag and the can of lager, and possession of a bladed article, which was later found in his clothing.

Lisa Boocock, defending, asked Judge Timothy Clayson to be lenient when sentencing because Rawlinson's punishment had already started. Just after the incident, he went to a friend's house and was attacked with an iron bar when he admitted what he had done. He was left him with three broken ribs, a collapsed lung and cuts on his face.

She also told the court that Rawlinson had started using heroin two years ago when his long-term relationship broke down and his nine-year-old son was taken into care and later adopted. These events resulted in Rawlinson's life going in a downward spiral.

Sentencing him to 20 months in jail, Judge Clayson told Rawlinson: "The offence you committed was very serious, because elderly people should be entitled to go about their daily business with the least possible threat of incidents like this.

"However, you admitted to these offences as soon as possible, and have no previous convictions of a similar nature. I hope you will do all you can to fight your relatively recent problems with heroin addiction and reduce the risk of committing more crimes."