A CHARITY worker who snatched a young mother’s pendant from her neck, pulling her along next to a car until the chain broke, has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Lukman Ishfaq was guilty of ‘an impulsive act of stupidity’ when he grabbed the necklace outside the woman’s home in Keighley on March 9, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Ishfaq, 21, of Gladstone Street, Bradford Moor, Bradford, pleaded guilty to robbery on the day he was to stand trial.

Prosecutor Vincent Blake-Barnard said that Ishfaq and other men arrived at the victim’s address at around 11pm to drop off some money.

When she was leaning into the car, Ishfaq, a passenger in the vehicle, grabbed her pendant. The car driver backed up and she was pulled along a short distance until the chain snapped.

The court heard that the woman said that her necklace, which was never recovered, was worth £1,500. Although she reported that the vehicle ran over her feet she did not receive any injuries.

Ishfaq was arrested soon afterwards and made no comment when he was questioned, Mr Blake-Barnard said.

Jeremy Hill-Baker said in mitigation that it was a slightly unusual case.

Ishfaq had no previous convictions and was deeply sorry and remorseful.

He had money problems at the time and was in with the wrong crowd that night.

“It was an impulsive act of stupidity,” Mr Hill-Baker said.

Ishfaq did charity work, including giving his time to help children with special needs.

He had lost his job as a baker because he was on an electronically monitored curfew with a tag for eight months, the court was told.

He had not offended since and was eager to find new employment.

Judge Colin Burn sentenced him to 21 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 40 rehabilitation activity days with the probation service.

He said that Ishfaq wasn’t driving the car when it moved off but he kept hold of the necklace until the chain snapped.

The victim was left trying to keep pace with the vehicle for a few metres until the pendant broke.

Judge Burn said that Ishfaq could have returned the necklace, even via a third party, but he hadn’t done so. But he used minimal force and had not been in any trouble before or since.

He told Ishfaq he wasn’t imposing any unpaid work to allow him to be able to look for new employment.