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Blind Wirral grandmother bitten by addict for her handbag


A HEROIN-ADDICTED woman who headbutted and bit a blind grandmother to steal her handbag has been locked up.

Vulnerable Alice Stapleton, 54, who is registered blind, was walking along Brighton Street, Seacombe, with her 11-year-old granddaughter when they were confronted by addict Louisa Brannan.

Liverpool crown court heard mum-of-three Brannan demanded the grandmother’s handbag.

But when she refused to hand it over, Brannan, 33, grabbed for it .

Robert Jansen, prosecuting, said: “A struggle continued between the two ladies for the handbag.

“At which point, the defendant then punched and headbutted Mrs Stapleton to the face.

“She then bit Mrs Stapleton to her left hand causing her to release her grip on the handbag.”

Brannan escaped with the bag, but was arrested two days later on August 4, last year, after she used Mrs Stapleton’s stolen mobile to call several taxi firms and gave an address.

She was interviewed, but denied the offence and was released on bail.

But Mr Jansen told the court just six weeks later, on September 22, 2008, Brannan targeted another vulnerable woman.

Patricia Gordon, 65, was waiting at a bus stop on Borough Road, Birkenhead, when Brannan pushed past her and grabbed her handbag.

Mrs Gordon tried to hold on to her bag, but was forced to let it go when Brannan dragged her into the road.

Brannan, of Water Street, Huddersfield, was arrested shortly after the robbery after being challenged by a witness.

Her DNA was later matched to a swab taken from Mrs Stapleton’s hand.

The court heard a victim impact statement from Mrs Stapleton who described how she needed hospital treatment following the robbery.

She said she was now too scared to leave her house, even to take the bins out, for fear of being watched. Mrs Stapleton added that her granddaughter no longer liked to visit from her Cumbrian home.

Judge Charles James jailed Brannan, who admitted robbery, for four years.

He said: “Those who go about committing that kind of offence inevitably go to prison for a long time.”

Zoe Nielding, defending, told the court Brannan’s life had been blighted by drugs since she was 13.

But she said her client, who wept throughout the hearing, was “deep remorseful and indeed mortified by her behaviour.”

Liverpool Echo

[censored], i hope the cops gave her a good beatin, dirty needle loving scaghead!

Evil nasty ... of the earth! Wot a wicked cow!

pure ...!

evil scummy!

Woder what happened to her 3 kids - probably living a better life now. 4 years - how many months before parole on appeal!!

lets hope she gets the shi* beaten out of her in prison the horrid smackhead