Mugger jailed after neighbour's sighting

3:49pm Monday 3rd November 2008

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A THIEF who snatched a pensioner's handbag and returned hours later to steal her car has been jailed for four years thanks to a neighbour.

Monica Campbell, 71, of Lancaster Road, was thrown sideways against a wall as she struggled to fight off her 21-year-old assailant.

She was in North Middlesex Hospital receiving treatment to her hip and wrist when he returned to steal her car.

The attack happened in Pretoria Road, at about 8.40pm on June 28 when Mrs Campbell was walking back home from seeing a friend.

Police caught her attacker, Thomas Lee, of Standard Road, Enfield Lock, after a neighbour who witnessed the mugging spotted him driving down Fore Street, Edmonton.

His description was circulated on the Met Police radio and he was arrested on July 3 following a high speed chase through Tottenham.

Lee was charged with robbery, theft of a car, driving a stolen vehicle, driving while disqualified, driving with no insurance and dangerous driving. He was sentenced to four years in prison at Wood Green Crown Court on October 23.

Mrs Campbell, whose car was later discovered in a car pound in Waltham Forest, said she wanted to thank her 21-year-old neighbour who told her she rang the police because she had a grandmother of her own and did not want the same thing to happen to her.

After the fatal stabbing of Melvin Bryan in nearby Gloucester Road in July, and having been mugged once before, Mrs Campbell says she is now scared to go out of the house alone.

She said: “I have lived here for 40 years, but in the past five years it has been different and things have started happening. A lot of people have moved into the flats around here who we don’t know.

“I do not really go out unless I am with my son or a member of the family. I am more aware now — if anybody is walking too close I look around. You can't be too careful.”

“It was a frightening experience. Older people are not able to fight these people. If he has been doing things like this he will come out (of prison) and do the same thing again. At least he is off the street for a little while.”