AIRDRIE THUG JAILED FOR DRAGGING PENSIONER AND STEALING HANDBAG
A VICIOUS thug who dragged a terrified pensioner along a busy road and stole her handbag has been jailed for two years.A sheriff condemned Christopher Clark, 25, for his "despicable" crime.
Mary Barr, 75, was walking home from church with a 70-year-old friend when Clark attacked her.
The brave OAP refused to let go of her handbag and she fell to the ground, screaming for help.
Clark, 25, pulled her along High Street, Airdrie, for almost 20 yards before she let go of her handbag, which contained £135 in cash.
He fled in a pal's car - but an off-duty policewoman wrote down the registration number and Clark was later traced and arrested.
At Airdrie Sheriff Court yesterday, Clark, of Airdrie, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mrs Barr to her injury and stealing her handbag and contents.
Prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel said the bag was never recovered.
The attack happened on October 1 last year as Mrs Barr was going home from a church service with her friend Isobel McLaghlan, 70.
Mrs Dalziel said: "Clark saw two of his friends, Steven Bowie and Peter McCluskie, driving past and flagged them down and asked them to take him to a cash dispenser.
"They parked in Airdrie's Wellwynd, and waited while Clark went to a nearby garage which has a cash machine." "Clark then attacked Mrs Barr from behind.
A passer-by chased after Clark, who jumped back into his friends' car, shouting drive, drive'.
The registration number was noted by off-duty policewoman Gillian McKay.
Lawyer Nicky Matteo, defending, said: "As a result of press publicity about this case, inmates decided to dish out summary justice and he was assaulted in jail while on remand.
He has now been put on protection.
"Because of the age of the lady he is both remorseful and ashamed of his actions." Sheriff Alfred Vannet told Clark: "This was a despicable offence on a 75-year-old woman.
"Thankfully, she was not seriously injured, but it is something I'm sure which will live with her for the rest of her life.
"Pensioners must be protected from this type of behaviour." The sentence was backdated to October 12, 2006, when Clark was remanded in custody.
