Preston shoppers help snare shameless handbag snatch thief

Laura Morrison, 36, of Clara Street, Preston, tried to snatch victim Dawn Jones’ bag as the 42-year-old and her friend walked down Fishergate in Preston, at the junction with Cannon Street, at 3.50pm on Sunday January 31.

But passers-by pinned her to the floor until police arrived, after spotting the women struggling in the street, Preston Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecuting, Jim Mowbray said: “As the victim walked along she felt a tug.

“When she turned around, she saw the defendant and a tug of war ensued before members of public intervened.

“The defendant was detained until police arrived.”

Morrison, a mother-of-two who the court hear has been addicted to heroin since her teens, tried to claim in interview that she simply stumbled as she walked in the street and grabbed the bag to steady herself.

But she later admitted attempted theft.

Defending, Sephton Lee said: “She had gone into the Halifax and found someone had taken money from her account without permission.

“She was in a distressed state and it’s fair to say she was withdrawing from heroin at the time.

“It was a spur of the moment thing.

“She describes it as a moment of madness.”

Judge Roger Lowe, imposing a rehabilitation order, drug treatment and a £60 surcharge, told her: “It was a crazy thing to do.”