A cunning robber who posed as a Good Samaritan to prey on vulnerable victims has been locked up for seven years.

Imran Azad targeted an 87-year-old man and a student teacher because he was desperate for money while at large from prison.

He pushed the pensioner and stole his purse containing just £2 in coins.

Three days later, he grabbed the terrified student by the neck, put his hand over her mouth and made off with her phone.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that Azad, 25, was released from prison on January 5. He was on licence after he was jailed for more than three years in September 2006 for mugging a 75-year-old man for his pension money.

Azad was recalled to jail on January 15 after going missing from the hostel where he was ordered to stay.

While living rough, he robbed John Thorpe at Coral bookmakers in Ivegate on January 23.

Prosecutor Austin Newman said Azad followed the pensioner, who had health and mobility problems, into the toilets at the bookies.

Staff thought Azad was accompanying him to help him.

Mr Thorpe was shocked and frightened by the robbery. His quality of life had suffered and he was wary of going into the city centre on his own.

Three days later, Azad pretended to play the Good Samaritan after Laura Shackleton’s car was broken into on Dirkhill Road, Bradford, and her iPod and satellite navigation system stolen.

While the teenage student sat in her vehicle waiting for the police, he picked up her handbag, asked where her money was and demanded her phone.

When she tried to attract the attention of a passing motorist, Azad grabbed her by the neck, put his hand over her mouth and ordered her to be quiet.

A male student intervened and Azad fled with the phone.

He was caught that evening by a Police Community Support Officer who chased after him and detained him.

The court heard that Miss Shackleton feared Azad was going to kill her.

The court heard that a psychiatrist had labelled Azad a woefully inept offender. But Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said he showed a canny ability to rob vulnerable people out of view of CCTV cameras.

Azad had been in custody since January 26. There were questions about his fitness to plead but two psychiatrists found he was not mentally ill.

Judge Durham Hall told Azad: “You do pose a very real and increasing danger of molestation and street robbery to vulnerable members of society.”

After the case, Detective Constable Jayne Wood, of Bradford South CID, said: “These were crimes against vulnerable victims and we are pleased the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences.”