Scarborough woman robbed elderly woman of her walking sticks - then tried to snatch walking stick from elderly man minutes later

Danielle Norman, aka Gerada, pounced on the 82-year-old woman as she walked through the town centre and snatched her walking stick with such force that the victim lost her balance and nearly fell over, prosecutor Joseph Hudson told York Crown Court.

The victim, who suffers from osteoarthritis and has a “cognitive condition”, was shopping in town with her son, when Norman, 39, targeted her on September 17 last year.

“Norman grabbed hold of the walking stick and started pulling it and wrestling it away from (the named victim)”, said Mr Hudson.

The victim tried to resist but was in pain and let go of the walking stick, nearly falling over as she did so.

“(Norman) ran off with the stick, laughing and shouting, ‘I’ve got your stick’,” said Mr Hudson.

The victim tried in vain to get it back, but Norman disappeared out of view.

“Following this, (Norman) went round the corner and tried to rip a walking stick from an elderly man (but was) unsuccessful,” added Mr Hudson.

Both incidents were captured on CCTV, but the elderly man had never been traced.

Norman, of West Street, was arrested and charged with robbery, attempted robbery and battery.

She admitted the two robberies, but the battery allegation was ultimately dropped by the prosecution.

She appeared for sentence on Monday August 15 when a statement from the elderly woman was read out in court.

She said the incident, which she described as “deeply distressing”, had affected her both physically and mentally.

She said she felt “shook up” and “physically sick”.

Norman had seven previous convictions for 14 offences including violence, criminal damage and assaulting police officers, all “linked to her mental state”.

Defence barrister Victoria Smithswain said a psychiatric report “clearly” showed that Norman had mental health problems.

“This is someone who was clearly incredibly unwell at the time (of the offences),” she added.

Norman had spent six months on prison remand following her arrest but was then transferred to a secure unit under the Mental Health Act.

She was then discharged from hospital and taken into the Ellis Centre in Scarborough which catered for people with serious mental health problems.

Ms Smithswain said that Norman had been responding well to treatment at the centre.

Judge Sean Morris said Norman’s case was one with a “most bizarre history”.

He told her: “It is quite clear from the (psychiatric) reports that you were mentally ill at the time but not sufficiently mentally ill as to reduce your culpability.”

He had noted that Norman had been “doing well” at the Ellis Centre and that her mental health had stabilised.

He said although such crimes would normally carry a jail sentence of at least two years, Norman had already served the equivalent of at least 12 months on remand.

“I think in your case, justice is made by trying to help you,” he added.

Norman was given a three-year community order with a 25-day rehabilitation programme.

She was ordered to pay a victim surcharge.