A pregnant woman who robbed elderly women of their handbags has been told she will go to prison.

During one of the crimes, Lillian Turner who is in her 80s, suffered a knock to her head and was treated at hospital for amnesia.

Yesterday, Terrie Geddes, 23, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one of attempted robbery at Bradford Crown Court.

On October 1 last year, she robbed Yvonne Coleman of her handbag and contents in Shipley.

Six months later, on March 18, Geddes took Mrs Turner’s handbag from her shoulder as she walked past with her husband, in Well Croft, Shipley.

The elderly woman fell and hit her head. She was taken to hospital, but was not seriously injured.

Then on April 17, Geddes attempted to snatch Helen Young’s handbag, also in Shipley.

Mitigating, Rebecca Young, said her client was 19 weeks pregnant and was finding not knowing her fate “extremely stressful”.

She asked that Geddes, of Wycliffe Gardens, Shipley, be sentenced straight away.

Miss Young also presented Judge John Potter with letters Geddes had written to her victims and the court.

But the judge said he could not sentence her immediately.

“I appreciate you want your case dealt with as soon as possible, but the court will be assisted by understanding as to why it’s now in your life you’ve suddenly decided to act in this appalling and anti-social way to elderly people,” Judge Potter said.

He adjourned the case for pre-sentence reports, including victim impact statements, to be prepared.

Geddes will next be at Bradford Crown Court on Friday, July 26.

Judge Potter thanked Geddes for the letters she had written and said they would be passed to the victims. The 23-year-old was told to sit as she was sobbing when Judge Potter addressed her.

After a moment he asked if she was able to concentrate again for him to continue.

He said: “I want to make it very clear – please don’t think the fact I’m adjourning the case and asking for this material means anything other than a custodial sentence will be imposed upon you.”