'Despicable' joyrider robbed elderly woman who came to his aid
- Published
Shaun Kennelly, 25, attacked the elderly woman before stealing money from her purse
A man who injured himself while leading police on a high-speed car chase attacked and robbed an 86-year-old woman who came to his aid.
Police said the woman tried to help Shaun Kennelly, who had hurt his arm during the "dangerous" chase through Newark town centre minutes earlier.
While in her home on 20 June 2022, the 25-year-old attacked her before stealing money from her purse.
Kennelly was jailed for four years and five months on Friday.
Nottinghamshire Police said Kennelly injured himself after stealing his mother's car and speeding through the town.
Officers spotted his erratic driving, but he refused to pull over - instead driving on the wrong side of the road and narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with another vehicle.
Kennelly was clocked driving at nearly 80mph (128km/h) in a 30mph (48km/h) zone and after being brought to a stop, deliberately drove at a police car to ram his way out.
'Absolutely despicable'
Kennelly dumped the damaged car in the Newark Gateway soon afterwards, before fleeing on foot and trying to hide in the woman's garden.
Police said she came to his aid, inviting him inside her home to get him a bandage.
Within seconds, Kennelly grabbed her around the throat before forcing her to hand over all the cash she had in her purse before fleeing.
Kennelly was arrested the following day and later pleaded guilty to robbery, dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and criminal damage.
The defendant, of Cross Street, Newark, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court.
Det Con Lauren Carpenter, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "It's a damning indictment to Kennelly's character that his first thought when this kindly woman came to his aid was to rob her in her own home.
"His actions that day were absolutely despicable, callous in the extreme, and resulted in his victim suffering a horrible ordeal that she in no way deserved."
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