A BRADFORD man who "car-jacked" a 61-year-old woman's Audi as she parked in the driveway of her home has been jailed for more than three years.

Unsuspecting Susan Chadwick had just returned to home in Shelf at lunchtime when career criminal Nathan Simpson rushed over and demanded the keys to her £22,000 Audi A3.

Prosecutor Howard Shaw told Bradford Crown Court today that a "tug-of-war" developed over the bunch of keys that she was holding, but Simpson, 31, managed to pull them from her grasp causing injuries to her fingers.

The complainant's screams alerted other members of the public and the driver of a 4x4 pulled in front of the driveway to try and block the Audi in.

Simpson managed to start the car and forced his way through a gap before driving off at speed pursued by the driver in the 4x4.

Mr Shaw said the Audi was driven straight over a mini-roundabout and Simpson was able to get away.

Police inquiries into the robbery led to the discovery of clothing discarded by Simpson and his DNA was later found on a beanie hat which had been put into a wheelie bin along with a jacket.

The court heard that the Audi had never been recovered and Simpson, of no fixed abode, was not arrested and questioned about the robbery until he was caught committing a house burglary about three months later.

Simpson, who had previous convictions for offences of robbery and house burglary, pleaded guilty to robbery and dangerous driving at an earlier crown court hearing and today he was jailed for 40 months.

Barrister Anastasis Tasou, for Simpson, conceded that the offence was a despicable one committed against a vulnerable complainant.

Mr Tasou submitted that his client was "not in his right mind" at the time because he had just found out that his father had died unexpectedly from a stroke.

"This was a stupid and opportunistic offence committed by Mr Simpson," said Mr Tasou.

Judge Jonathan Rose said the bereavement suffered by Simpson was no justification, explanation or mitigation for the offence.

"You have a very bad record for criminal offences involving stealing things belonging to other people," the judge noted.

"You continued offending even after you committed this dreadful offence against a lady I consider to be vulnerable."

The judge said it had not been a pre-planned offence, but Simpson had seen an opportunity because the complainant appeared to be a "soft target".

"The violence that you used towards her was not the most substantial, I accept that, and the physical injuries were not the most serious but you have absolutely no idea, nor do you care one jot, about the trauma that you caused her," the judge told Simpson.

Althought the robbery took place in January Judge Rose said he had no doubt the victim would still be suffering the consequences.

Simpson was also banned from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended re-test at the end of the disqualification.