A THIEF, who stole an 80-year-old widow's handbag while she was visiting her husband's grave in Droitwich on their wedding anniversary, has been jailed for 15 months.

Adam Harrison noticed the victim had failed to lock her car door when she parked outside St Augustine's Church.

He took her bag containing cash, then used her credit card - taking advantage of the pin number he found inside her bag - to siphon £500 from her bank account, which he spent on clothes, Worcester Crown Court was told.

The 22-year-old also gave her card to friends, who used it in two stores before she was able to put a stop on its use, said Sir Andrew Watson, prosecuting.

Harrison, of Calder Close, Droitwich, admitted four thefts, one attempted theft and two counts of failing to surrender to bail.

The defendant, who was a heroin addict, sold the clothes he bought with the pensioner's cash for £100 to buy drugs.

He also stole razor blades from a supermarket, a James Bond action man from a shop in Droitwich, and unsuccessfully tried to prise a radio from a car after breaking in by using a screwdriver.

Nicolas Cartwright, defending, said Harrison was distressed about stealing the OAP's bag.

He had been using heroin for five years and left his job before he could be sacked after his employer found out about his drug-taking.

''In desperation he turned to crime,'' said Mr Cartwright. ''There was a flurry of offending last year.''

Harrison had gone through drug withdrawal while on remand in jail. He lived with his parents and they now planned to move away from the area.

Judge Marten Coates accepted that the gravity of the offence against the pensioner had been recognised by the defendant.