A THIEVING drug addict, labelled "a walking disaster" by a judge, fractured a shop assistant's wrist when she chased after him in the street, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Neil Rawlinson grabbed Rebecca Alderson's arm and span her round as she pursued him from Boots the Chemist in Park Road, Little Horton, Bradford.

Miss Alderson, who was trying to stop him fleeing with three packs of razor blades, fell to the ground fracturing her wrist.

She was in plaster for six weeks, the court heard.

While on bail for that offence, Rawlinson stole an 88-year-old man's shopping bag in the Post Office in Darley Street, Bradford, prosecutor Clare Benson said.

Rawlinson, 31, of Little Horton Lane, Bradford, pleaded guilty to shoplifting from Boots and causing Miss Alderson actual bodily harm on the afternoon of August 6 last year and stealing from Terence Samson on October 17.

He was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with a Drug Rehabilitation Requirement and a six month electronically monitored curfew requirement.

The court heard that Rawlinson was unfit to do unpaid work for the community.

Miss Benson said he was arrested on September 23 for stealing from Boots and assaulting Miss Rawlinson.

Three weeks later, he targeted Mr Samson as he sat in the Post Office at 3pm waiting for his turn at the counter.

Rawlinson distracted the pensioner by behaving oddly, while an accomplice made off with his shopping bag containing £115 in cash, his house keys, passport, glasses and bank cards.

He had to have the locks to his home changed, Miss Benson said.

Rawlinson was re-arrested when he was recognised on the West Yorkshire Police Caught on Camera website.

In mitigation, Rawlinson's solicitor advocate, Mohammed Hussain, said his client's probation officer felt he was "turning the corner".

"This has been a wake-up call," Mr Hussain said.

He conceded there would be "an obvious disgust" about what his client had done, shared by Rawlinson himself.

Sentencing him, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC noted Rawlinson was "addicted to cruel substances" but he said stealing from Mr Samson was despicable, mean and cowardly.

He told him: "You cause distress and pain and loss to other people."

The judge ordered Rawlinson to pay £200 each in compensation to Miss Alderson and Mr Samson out of his benefit money.

He reserved any breach of the sentence requirements to himself.