A BEMERTON HEATH man has been jailed after robbing a 74-year-old woman in an alleyway.

Matthew Derrick, aged 32, of Pullman Drive, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after admitting the offence when he appeared at Salisbury Crown Court today (February 12).

The robbery happened on the morning March 8 last year.

The victim was robbed in an alleyway to the side of the United Reformed Church in Fisherton Street.

Derrick came up behind the woman and grabbed her handbag, dragging her to the floor before fleeing the scene.

Detective Constable Ben Brewster, from Salisbury CID, said: “Luckily the victim wasn’t injured, but the incident left a permanent mental scar, causing her to change her daily routines and to fear leaving her house for months afterwards.

“Today’s sentence will mean she can try to regain her confidence and integrate herself back into the community.”