A 'WICKED' robber who groomed and then stole from a vulnerable79-year-old man has been jailed for three years.

Isere Forrest, 49, of Valley View, Baildon, befriended the elderly man so that he trusted her but she then grabbed his bank card and PIN off him and withdrew cash from his account.

But the altercation outside his Sticker Lane, Bradford, home was witnessed by the man's neighbours who stepped in to try and stop the incident and then followed Forrest to a post office to seize back the card and return it to the victim.

Judge Jonathan Rose, sentencing Forrest at Bradford Crown Court today, said she was wicked.

He said: "You befriended an elderly man but what you were doing was grooming this man so that he would be trusting of you.

"He was trying to help you and you were taking advantage of him.

"All of that was to fuel your drug offences and what was to come.

"He was intimidated and frightened by you. You were stronger and more aggressive than him. Only the intervention of good people stopped this offence continuing."

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He said a pre-sentencing report on her described her as manipulative.

He added: "The targeting of vulnerable people jumps out from everything you learn about this case.

"There must be a prison sentence to help you make use of your time to stop taking drugs and get support."

He said the victim has been left frightened by the robbery.

He also imposed an indefinite restraining order preventing her contacting the victim and going within 400 yards of where he lives.

John Bottomley, for Forrest, said she was abused by her mother and had difficulties in her life which may have led to her issues and addiction to drugs.

The court heard that Forrest, who pleaded guilty, pushed the 79-year-old man into a corner of a communal area at the flats where he lives and pulled at his wallet while threatening him.

The man was heard shouting for help. A woman neighbour heard him shouting: "Stop, leave me alone. No, stop."

"He was petrified, shaking and having difficulty breathing," said prosecutor Philip Standfast.

The man, who is vulnerable and hard of hearing, pointed his walking stick at Forrest when help arrived.

Forrest then tried to pick a fight with the woman neighbour who had gone to help him.

She then stormed off with the victim’s bank card and PIN number.

Another neighbour pursued her to Sticker Lane PO where she withdrew money. The neighbour seized back the card and returned it to the victim

The court was told Forrest had 37 previous convictions for 87 offences, many of them shop thefts.

She also had two convictions for theft from the person when she stole £54 from a vulnerable man aged 54 after searching his pockets and also went through the pockets of an elderly man whom she pushed over as he was walking home from the pub.