What is the world coming to when an old lady of 84 cannot walk to the shop without being mugged. This is the third time this has happened to my mum now [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] Thankfully she was not hurt and she just gave him the bag and he ran off. It's an awful world we live in at times

Berni [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Family of mugged OAP blame 'lenient' courts

Feb 17 2010 By Jessica Thomas
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Angela McManhon and son Joe

THE FAMILY of a great-grandmother who was this week mugged for the third time in as many years – have blamed the courts for being too lenient on criminals.

Angela McManhon, 84, was walking through an alleyway leading from the Great West Road back to her home in Moulton Avenue, Hounslow, when a "
hoodie"
snatched her handbag straight out of her hands.

Son Joe, the youngest of Mrs McManhon's 12 children, believes the attack at 5pm on Saturday evening– the third in three years suffered by the pensioner who walks with a stick, stems from a weak penal system.

"
It's disgusting,"
said Joe, a paramedic with Hounslow ambulance service. "
I feel like sending her out wearing a high-vis tabard with 'If you are thinking of mugging me get a job instead' written on the back.

"
My mum has worked all her life and doesn't deserve this. I have seen a lot of people assaulted over the years being in my profession but I do think it's on the increase. I don't think it's the police's fault, the penal system is weak, the punishments are just not a strong enough deterrent for people."


Angela, a grandmother of 17 and a great grandmother of 17 has lived in Hounslow for 34 years after moving from Ireland. First working as a seamstress for her late husband's tailoring business and then washing towels in hotels.

"
She wont let it get to her, she's tough - she's raised 12 children, she was back out walking the streets on Sunday,"
said 42-year-old Joe who lives in Walton-on-Thames.

"
It's so worrying though, as all it takes is for an elderly person to fall and break their hip and it can end up killing them."


Patrick, another of Mrs McManhon's son's said: "
I want to warn everybody out there that there is people like this targeting the vulnerable.

"
I'm just so pleased she wasn't hurt – if the bag was on her shoulder and not in her hand he probably would have pulled her over."


The mugger made off with only credit cards and a small amount of cash in Mrs McManhon's bag and Hounslow Robbery Squad are investigating.

A police spokeswoman said: "
The victim was approached by the suspect who grabbed her handbag and shouted at her to 'let it go'. She did and he ran off towards the A4.

"
There is no description for the suspect, he was wearing a blue coat."


Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 020 8247 5940 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Oddy

I read this sort of thing so often Bernie and to be honest it makes me and nothing unfortunately will change not now it's to late!! the government are more concerned with lining their own pockets and the police do their best to get away with what they can too so no changes not now or in the future I fear, I think the days when criminals were caught and punished accordingly have since gone and will not return!! I did read somewhere recently that the justice system is now considering paying criminals not to offend I think this says it all, On the brighter side it's good to know that your mother is fine, it could have been a lot worse so thank god for that, give them our best and tell them I hope they catch the BA*****S but I doubt it very much

oddball wrote:

"
It's disgusting,"
said Joe, a paramedic with Hounslow ambulance service. "
I feel like sending her out wearing a high-vis tabard with 'If you are thinking of mugging me get a job instead' written on the back.

Totally agree with Joe. Should chop their bollox off with a rusty razor blade.

thats awful, thankgoodness she is not hurt.

have to agree with the failure of the penal system, i regulary watch crime programmes and its nothing short of a comedy. the criminals have no respect of the law or people, they have no fear what so ever. they know their multiple crimes wont come to anything. the banned motorist not old enough to hold a licence, gets another ban.

thats why the police focus their attention on motorists and collar the law abiding citizen who makes one mistake as they know they can pay the fines. priorities all wrong.

ChrisQBG wrote:

oddball wrote:

"
It's disgusting,"
said Joe, a paramedic with Hounslow ambulance service. "
I feel like sending her out wearing a high-vis tabard with 'If you are thinking of mugging me get a job instead' written on the back.

Totally agree with Joe. Should chop their bollox off with a rusty razor blade.

and so say all of us!!