A thug who preyed on vulnerable old women in North Lanarkshire has been jailed

An evil thug who preyed on vulnerable old women has been caged for seven years.

Drug addict Alan Lynn, 33, attacked two elderly pensioners in broad daylight and robbed them of their handbags, a jury heard.

Lynn pushed 67-year-old Helen Mathie to the ground in Shields Road, Motherwell, in June 2016 and stole her bag containing £120 in full view of CCTV cameras.

Her kneecap was shattered as a result of his attack and she had to spend four days in hospital.

Rosina McMullen, a 79-year-old who was going about her business in the New Stevenson area of the North Lanarkshire town in May 2017, suffered a split head after Lynn ran into her on his bike and knocked her down before robbing her.

In another case he brazenly walked into the home of a 94-year-old dementia sufferer in Holytown, Motherwell, on 17 May last year and tried to leave with his pockets crammed with her jewellery.

The woman's carer caught Lynn coming down the stairs and bravely dragged the valuables from his pockets as he tried to escape.

In a fourth theft, Lynn ransacked a house which was lying empty because the pensioner resident had been taken to hospital with a broken hip. He stole jewellery, a TV and other electrical items.

He was caught after he sent a friend to sell gold for him at a pawn shop and police found stolen items at a flat where he was staying.

His DNA was also found on one of the electrical items he stole and on a jacket he dumped near the scene of one of his robberies, the jury heard.

After a trial lasting five days, jurors at the High Court in Livingston returned unanimous verdicts finding Lynn guilty of the seven most serious charges and a majority verdict convicting him of carrying a knife in public.

Passing sentence, Judge Lord Arthurson highlighted Lynn's long list of previous convictions for similar offences.

He said: 'The jury has convicted you of a series of charges the most serious of which is the assault and robbery of two elderly members of the public who were going about their business in the community in broad daylight

'They have also convicted you of theft from the home of vulnerable elderly person and two weapons offences

'Your criminal record is highly relevant. You have 24 groups of previous convictions and have served 13 prior custodial sentences.

'You have been convicted of two indictments at sheriff and jury level, the first for assault and robbery in 2012, the second for theft by housebreaking in 2014.

'In the High court in 2002 you were convicted of assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life for which you received sentence of five years

'In 2009 you were convicted in the High Court of assault robbery involving a firearm for which you received a sentence of six years.

'It's plain to me you present a significant risk of harm to the public and only a substantial custodial sentence is appropriate.'

The judge backdated the cumulo prison sentence to 17 May 2017 when Lynn was first remanded in custody.

Lynn, whose address was given as Addiewell Prison, West Lothian, showed no emotion as he was led from the dock to begin his sentence.