A £40-a-day heroin addict who robbed a pensioner, leaving her with a dislocated shoulder, is behind bars for three years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the 72-year-old victim fell to the ground after Paul Whitehead, 31, pounced as she waited at a bus stop in Burnley Road, Bacup, in April.

Sentencing him, Judge Ian Hamilton said Whitehead had a long history of offending, but it did not include robbery -- although he had now added that to his criminal repertoire.

He added he accepted the defendant regretted what he had done.

Whitehead, of Rosebank Street, Bacup, had earlier admitted robbery and had his case adjourned for pre-sentence reports. The court heard how the defendant was walking along Burnley Road with a young woman when he grabbed the pensioner's handbag, pulling it so hard that she overbalanced. At that point she let go and the defendant ran off.

The victim suffered bruises, a dislocated shoulder, a minor fracture and shock. After being treated at hospital she had to wear a sling on her arm. Whitehead escaped with about £20 in cash and the woman's angina tablets.

Whitehead handed himself in the following day. He told police he had been having trouble with money lenders and taking drugs.

Michael Lavery, defending, said the victim was not targeted and the offence was opportunistic.

Whitehead had a long standing history of dependency on illicit substances and at the time of the offences, was spending about £30 or £40 a day on drugs.

Since Whitehead had been incarcerated, he had detoxified, and had also signed up for various courses.