Robber who targeted women walking alone at night in Northampton jailed for three years

Thomas Brennan, aged 29, targeted three women walking alone in the Spencer Bridge Road area of the town on the evening of January 28.

Northampton Crown Court heard Brennan approached the first woman from behind at about 8.30pm and pulled her bag off her shoulder.

The woman managed to keep hold of her bag and Brennan then ran off.

Brennan then attempted to rob a woman who was walking down Weedon Road half an hour later but she also managed to keep hold of her handbag.

At 10.20pm, Brennan ran past another woman and grabbed her handbag. After a short struggle, Brennan managed to pull it away from her grasp and then ran off.

The court heard police were called out to the scene and Brennan was arrested a short distance away.

Brennan also pleaded guilty to commiting a robbery in Dover Court, Northampton, on January 23.

The court heard Brennan punched a man to the floor and then pinned him on the ground and stole his wallet. A bank card from the man’s wallet was later used to buy two bottles of vodka.

Victim impact statements read to the court revealed two of the women who had been targeted by Brennan now felt unsafe walking around Northampton.

Maxine Krone, mitigating, said her client had a heroin addiction and commited the offences to fund his drugs habit.

Ms Krone said Brennan was homeless and suffered from anxiety and depression.

Judge Michael Fowler sentenced Brennan to a total of three years and eight months in prison. He is likely to serve half his sentence in jail before being released on licence.