Homeless London man jailed for mugging Soho 92-year-old

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32286527

Version 0 of 1.

A homeless man who knocked over a frail London pensioner to steal just £5 has been jailed for 30 months.

Solomon Bygraves followed 92-year-old Stanley Evans into his block of flats in Soho and pushed him over as he lunged for his wallet.

Southwark Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of Bygraves running away as Mr Evans fell to the ground.

The pensioner remained lying in the entrance to the flats for several minutes after the attack on 31 January.

Mr Evans, a retired camera assistant who worked on films including the 1947 classic Brighton Rock, eventually managed to get to his feet and call 999.

Police described the attack as "totally unprovoked, callous and sickening".

The pensioner suffered a shoulder and arm injury in the incident.

In his victim impact statement, Mr Evans said: "He tried to con me by offering to help me with my bags, I believe purely to get into the block of flats to rob me."

He said he struggled to get to his feet following the attack by Bygraves, who at more than 6ft (1.82m) tall, towered over him.

"Due to my age I found it very difficult to get up," Mr Evans said.

Undeterred by the assault, he added: "I'm independently minded and determined not to allow this to change how I live or where or when I go out."

Bygraves, who is homeless and has 21 convictions for 49 offences, pleaded guilty to robbery via prison video-link last month.