A DESTITUTE young man grabbed an 81-ear-old woman around the throat and tore off her gold necklace in broad daylight outside Rugby Library.
But after learning it was not as valuable as he had hoped, Tadeusz Dumana – who had become destitute after splitting up with his girlfriend – went on to target two other women, Warwick Crown Court has heard.
Dumana, 20, who lived in Rugby at the time, but now of Chatsworth Street, Preston, was jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty to two charges of robbery and one of attempted robbery.
Prosecutor William Douglas-Jones said that in October 2014 an 81-year-old woman was grabbed round the neck from behind after leaving Rugby library at midday.
Dumana then pulled her gold necklace and locket from round her neck.
He then went into H and T Jewellers in Rugby town centre to ask for a valuation on the necklace – and was told it was worth £25.
Two days later a 55-year-old woman she was also grabbed from behind by Dumana in the town centre.
He tried to grab her necklace, but was unable to do so and let go of her and walked off.
Another two days after that, a 67-year-old woman and her husband were walking into town when she was suddenly pulled backwards as her handbag was pulled from her grip.
Dumana ran off with the bag, which contained her phone and her purse containing £30 in cash and her bank cards.
Peter Cook, defending, said: “Mr Dumana is now 20, and was 18 when he committed the offences.
“He was not a criminally-inclined young man when he came to the UK seeking a better life for himself.”
He lived with his girlfriend, who had made the journey before him, in Rugby – ‘but his dream quickly evaporated, and they split up.’
His girlfriend moved from Rugby to Birmingham, leaving him homeless and with no means.
“He was immature and didn’t know what to do, and he decided to steal.
“But over the past 16 months he has returned to non-criminal living, and is a young man with prospects.
“He is qualified at home in Poland as a cook, and it’s his desire to stay in the UK and find work as a chef,” added Mr Cook, who asked the judge to consider a suspended sentence.
But jailing Dumana, Judge Andrew Lockhart told him: “You are still a young man, and you came to the United Kingdom to work.
“But in October 2014 you needed money. You were out on the streets of Rugby, and that lady was there.
“She is 81 years of age, four times your age, and she is vulnerable by reason of that.
“You put your arm round her throat and ripped a gold chain from round her neck. It is a grave offence.
“That was not going to raise enough money, and later you attempted to rob a 55-year-old woman.
“Again, matters did not end there, because you then robbed a woman of over three times your age who was walking from her house into town.
“I accept these matters were committed a long time ago, and I accept you were a younger man then. But you targeted those women.”
