A man jailed for the handbag theft from a vulnerable victim aged 85

Dear Preston Residents,

Officers from Preston Safer Neighbourhoods Team have successfully secured a custodial sentence following the theft of a handbag from a vulnerable elderly woman inside The Preston Pub.

Through a thorough investigation, Preston Safer Neighbourhood Officers identified and arrested the suspect. We deemed the offence so serious that we made a remand application so this case could be heard in court the following day.  Subsequently with our detailed investigation he has now been sentenced to 27 weeks imprisonment.

The court determined that the seriousness of the offence, combined with the age and vulnerability of the victim and the breach of trust involved, meant that only a custodial sentence was justified.

This outcome demonstrates our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our Preston community and holding offenders to account.