A woman was left in floods of tears after a man snatched her purse outside a Worcester supermarket.

Kevin Barnes dragged Karen Baldry across the car park of Sainsbury's in Windermere Drive, Warndon, in the struggle.

The purse contained £35 and the victim's credit cards, said Lee Marklew, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court.

Barnes, aged 24, of Tallow Hill, Worcester, pleaded guilty to robbery.

Jailing him for 18 months, Judge Andrew Geddes said Miss Baldry had been left frightened and distressed by the incident on November 29 last year. He said Barnes had lived "a pathetic and miserable life" as a drug addict and needed professional help.

Barnes was loitering outside the supermarket at about 6pm when he saw the purse sticking out of the victim's jacket.

He was identified by CCTV footage and arrested three months later. He told police he needed to feed his drug habit and had not wished to cause the victim any violence.

Richard Adams, defending, said his life had been "a catalogue of disaster".

He had mental health problems, learning difficulties and was estranged from his parents.