A DRUG addict who grabbed the purse of an 87-year-old registered blind woman and ran off as she stood on her doorstep was yesterday warned to expect jail when sentenced for the offence.

Ian James Hamilton (29), of Kilwinning Place, appeared on indictment at Dundee Sheriff Court and admitted that on October 24 last year at a flat in Summerfield Gardens, he stole a purse and £300.

Depute fiscal Keith O’Mahony said the victim was alone in her flat when the offence took place. Hamilton knocked on her door at around 3 pm with five £1 coins in his hand. He asked her for a £5 note in exchange and she agreed.

She went into the living room, retrieved her purse which contained £300 and returned to the front door. Hamilton took hold of her purse and ran.

Two neighbours of the woman saw Hamilton running from the close and were sufficiently worried to go to her house to make sure she was all right. She told them what had happened and the police were contacted.

The neighbours were shown a selection of photos including one of Hamilton and successfully identified him.

The next day he was arrested. He denied that he was involved in the robbery and said he had been at home from 11 am on the day of the offence, said the fiscal.

At the time Hamilton was subject to a Restriction of Liberty Order (electronic tagging). The monitoring company was contacted and it was found Hamilton had left home between 2.30 pm and 5.15 pm.

Solicitor Gary McIlravey said Hamilton had been in custody since December due to his substantial previous convictions due to an underlying drug problem. However he had gone through rehabilitation in prison and was now free from drugs.

Describing the offence as “distasteful,” he said the lady “while registered blind is not completely blind.”

Sheriff Richard Davidson asked Mr O’Mahony if Hamilton would have prior knowledge that the occupier was “elderly and vulnerable.”

The fiscal said he had no information to that effect, but that it was not sheltered housing and was a tenement. He would ask for further investigation of this pending the next hearing of the case.

The sheriff told Hamilton, “You have pled guilty at long last to a crime which I find very difficult to find the appropriate words to describe. While the amount of money involved may not seem much to you, the effect on an elderly vulnerable woman on whom you preyed is incalculable. I hope you are thoroughly disgusted with yourself.”

The sheriff said Hamilton had been subject to probation orders and Restriction of Liberty Orders to restrict his activities as a housebreaker, so it was clear that his modus operandi had now changed from housebreaking to “preying on elderly people.”

“I will not have elderly people preyed upon by people like you,” he told Hamilton, warning, “The full force of the law awaits you.

“It is to the credit of the lady’s neighbours that they intervened promptly and to the credit of Tayside Police that they acted on that information promptly.”

He called for background reports and this case plus seven other summary matters were continued until April 19.