James Irven was at the Hartlepool United Supporters Club, in Sandringham Road, when he sat down next to 75-year-old Pauline Johnson.

Mrs Johnson, who was at the club with relatives from South Africa, began chatting with the 38-year-old and his friend, and she even taught them how to play bingo.

But when she briefly left the table, Irven and his accomplice dropped the friendly act and snatched the bag which contained £500, a mobile phone and a pair of earrings given to her by her dad when she was only 15.

Jobless Irven, of Middleton Grove, Hartlepool, admitted stealing the handbag and its contents on January 22 at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court.

He was ordered to pay back £300 and was given a community order and a curfew.

Zeenat Begum, prosecuting, said: "The defendant and another male sat on Mrs Johnson's table next to a spare chair that had her bag on.
"The defendant befriended her and she showed them how to play bingo."

During a break in the bingo, Mrs Johnson walked away from the table and the duo pounced.

"When she returned she found her handbag had been stolen," said Ms Begum.

The bag was later found in a skip with the earrings and returned to Mrs Johnson. The money and a phone were never recovered.

Irven was captured on camera by the club stealing the bag by putting his coat over it and picking it all up in one movement.

John Relton, mitigating, said Irven had a problem with alcohol at the time and was drinking up to nine litres of cider a day.

Mr Relton added: "He has not got a great memory of events but CCTV clearly shows it's him taking the bag.

"My client is disappointed with himself for his actions. He had been trying to sort himself out."

Irven was given a 12-month community order with supervision and a four-month curfew that forces him to stay at home from 7pm to 7am by Margaret Sleeman, chairman of the magistrates' bench.