A man from St Albans has been jailed for robbery after he stole cash from an elderly man.

Gary Jakeman, 34, committed the crime outside Morrisons on Hatfield Road on February 28 last year.

The court heard that the victim, aged in his 80s, was using the ATM to make three cash withdrawals at 3.25pm.

Jakeman was loitering by the cash machine on his bicycle, and tried to put his hand in the victim's pocket to steal his money.

The victim resisted and, as a result of the force used by Jakeman, he was knocked to the ground.

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Jakeman took £80 as money fell out of the victim's pocket, and then he cycled away.

The court heard that Jakeman - currently of no fixed abode - had stolen the money to fund his drug habit.

He was sentenced to three years and seven months behind bars at St Albans Crown Court during a hearing yesterday (Wednesday, May 22).

Detective Constable Zoe Austwick said: “An impact statement read out on behalf of the victim described how he still feels unsafe to go out on his own having lost his self-confidence and he has not used a cashpoint machine since.

"The victim’s physical and emotional wellbeing have been adversely affected by the robbery.”

She said: “Jakeman’s prolific offending history was taken into consideration and the fact that this was an acquisitive crime undertaken in order to fund a long-standing drug habit.

"We have supported the victim and we hope this sentence also reassures the local community."