Stockton drug user stole flowers from grave and dragged woman around Hartlepool shopping parade in attempted handbag robbery

Leanne Slater pounced on the 57-year-old victim in broad daylight as she walked across the car park at the Fens shops on April 2 this year.

She proceeded to haul the victim along the floor as the brave woman refused to let go of the bag, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Uzma Khan, prosecuting, said Slater, 39, abruptly approached the victim who had the bag over her right shoulder and grabbed it but the woman held on.

Ms Khan said: “The victim sustained gravel rash due to being dragged around the car park floor.”

She called for help and a man went to her aid and held on to Slater until the police arrived.

In an impact statement, the victim said: “I’m now petrified to go out alone.”

Slater admitted attempted robbery. She was jailed for a total of 46 months, including two months for the “cruel theft” of three bouquets of flowers from a cemetery in Stockton last June.

A family had placed the flowers on the grave for the 10th anniversary of the death of their son.

The offences put Slater in breach of a suspended prison sentence which she also failed to comply with the conditions of.

Judge Chris Smith imposed 12 months of the suspended sentence and gave her 32 months for the attempted robbery.

He added: “This is a miserable case for you and your victims because of what you put them through.”

Nicci Horton, mitigating, said Slater, of Durham Road, Stockton, was “incredibly sorry”.