A YOUNG mum pushing her one-year-old baby along Wirral Way was targeted by a desperate drug addict who had followed her from the nearby library.

Michael Roberts was loitering in West Kirby library on May 15 this year when he spotted the woman with her son in a pushchair.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that he left before her but secretly followed her as she walked along the Wirral Way towards Ashton Park and it was only when he came up behind her and struck her to the back of her head that she realised he was there.

In the tussle for her handbag she fell forward and the buggy also fell over and Roberts ran off with the bag containing her purse and within just ten minutes had begun using her bank card to make contactless purchases in a convenience store.

The court heard that the 32-year-old victim, Kimberley Jurgis, felt to blame for her baby and pushchair falling over but jailing Roberts for four years nine months a judge said she should not feel guilty.

Recorder Mary Prior, QC, told Roberts, 57: "There is only one person to blame for that and it is you for offending in that way."

She said that the victim "had been going about her ordinary business with her one-year-old baby in a pushchair.

"She, like every other member of the community, should be entitled to walk around without being the victim of crime.

"I have no doubt you targeted that woman.

"You saw her in the library and you realised she was vulnerable because she had a push chair with her and you decided you were going to snatch her purse and bag from her.

"I have no doubt you followed her from the library and you waited until she was in an isolated spot where there was no-one else around then committed this cowardly deliberate act."

The judge said he knew she would not leave her baby to run after him and the following day he targeted another woman, who was also vulnerable as she was using a crutch to walk and would also not be able too run after him.

Simon Duncan, prosecuting, said that the 38-year-old woman had been having a meal in The Tap in West Kirby on May 16 and Roberts took the opportunity to steal her purse from her bag when she was not looking.

He used her bank card to make four fraudulent transactions in nearby shops.

Roberts, 57, of Maritime Grange in Borough Road, Seacombe, pleaded guilty to theft and the four frauds as well as admitting the robbery the day before and the eight other fraudulent card transactions.

The court heard that he has 58 convictions for 119 previous offences, mainly for dishonesty.

Geoffrey Lowe, defending, said that Roberts had kept out of trouble for six years but two years ago was subjected to a violent knife attack which left him with a huge gaping stomach wound and his liver was nicked.

His attacker was jailed for 15 years.

Unfortunately after the attack, which exacerbated his mental health problems, he reverted to his crack cocaine and heroin abuse and began re-offending.

He has been making good progress while on remand in prison, he added.

Detective Constable Kevin Thomas said: "The actions of Roberts over those two May days were desperate and despicable.

"To target a woman out with her young child, and then a second woman on crutches, is beyond belief.

"Thankfully, the victim of the robbery and her child were not seriously hurt, but the emotional impact is harder to measure.

"We will continue do all in our powers to find and put before the courts those who assault, threaten steal from those in our communities."