Woman attacked elderly man with his own walking stick before robbing his takeaway and shopping

The elderly man suffers with chronic arthritis, the court heard. Credit: MEN

A 27-year-old woman battered an elderly man with his own walking stick before robbing his food.

Jade McDonnell approached the 72-year-old on Drake Street and asked him to hand over his pizza as he sat down to rest in Manchester city centre.

When he refused, she kicked and punched the pensioner, and continued to attack him as he fell to the floor.

A cyclist who was passing by managed to diffuse the situation, before McDonnell left with the man's pizza, walking stick and the man's shopping.

He was left with a suspected broken nose, as well as cuts and bruises.

The court heard how the man had been shopping and returned home to Rochdale at about midnight on 10 July.

Prosecutor Maxwell Cope told the court: "He then saw a woman, this defendant, approach him and she demanded his pizza. "The situation quickly escalated as she attempted to take the pizza with such force that it prompted a physical struggle. She repeatedly attacked the complainant, punching him to the face and causing him to fall to the ground."The defendant continued to punch and kick him repeatedly before using his walking stick as a weapon."

McDonnell, of Stanneybrook Close, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to robbery on Wednesday 23 August and was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court to three years in prison.McDonnell has numerous previous convictions - including for theft; attempted burglary; and assault. Mitigating, James Preece said his client was sorry for her actions and regretted her behaviour.

He said the mother-of-three, whose children no longer live with her, struggled with alcohol and was homeless at the time of the attack.

He added that she also suffered from mental health issues.Judge Bernadette Baxter said: "These were particularly mean offences against a vulnerable victim aged 72."He had been out shopping and when he returned he bought himself some takeaway food and sat down for a rest. At that point you approached him aggressively and demanded his pizza."When he tried to resist you, instead of going away, you engaged in a physical struggle with him that escalated to you punching him to the face before kicking him and hitting him with his own walking stick."