Drug addict who stole woman's handbag is jailed

Jordan Caley was jailed for 31 months at Douglas Courthouse

A drug-addicted robber who stole a 70-year-old woman's handbag to "fuel his addiction" before hiding it underneath a bin bag in a wheelie bin has been jailed.

Jordan Caley, 29, was seen by the woman loitering in a doorway before he confronted her and snatched the bag on the evening of 20 June last year.

The theft, which happened on Drury Terrace in Douglas, caused the victim to fall to the ground and suffer injuries to her knees and hands before Caley fled and hid the bag in a bin.

He was jailed for 31 months for robbery and a separate offence of possession of a knife, dating from 28 February while he was on bail.

In a statement read to the court, the woman said she had "really struggled to leave her address" since it happened and felt "constantly on edge".

'Constantly on edge'

Caley, who was arrested later that evening, claimed he saw someone else commit the offence when interviewed by police, which Deemster Graeme Cook called "rubbish".

The robber, of Tromode House in Douglas, accommodation run by the probation service, denied robbery but was found guilty after a trial.

The court heard he was under the influence of drugs at the time and stole the bag in order to "fuel his drug addiction."

Regarding the knife offence, the court heard that while on bail for the robbery he was reported to police after being seen leaving Tromode House after his curfew.

When searched, he was found to have a knife.

Deemster Cook said robbery was "fortunately not common" on the island and "a message needs to be sent out".

He said he hoped the woman would "in time be able to walk down the street without constantly looking over her shoulder".