Man who pushed elderly woman to the floor for her car jailed

A man who pushed an elderly woman to the ground to steal her car has been jailed for seven years and nine months.

Callum Ball, 20, of no fixed address, pushed an 86-year-old woman from behind, causing her to fall to the floor, before jumping into her silver Ford Fiesta and driving off at around 5pm on April 17 2019.

The vulnerable woman had briefly got out of her car and left it running to post an item in a letterbox at Spar on Wardles Lane in Great Wyrley. When returning to her car, she was thrown out of the way and suffered minor injuries to her hand and nose.

The following day, officers spotted the vehicle in Bloxwich at around 2.45am. The vehicle drove straight at the marked police car and an officer driving the vehicle had to mount the pavement to avoid a collision. The Fiesta made off but officers later found it at around 3.35am.

The 20-year-old was sentenced to three years and three months for the robbery.

Ball was also sentenced to three years for burglary and one year for actual bodily harm following an incident at an address on Colliers View in Rugeley on 23 and 24 March. He entered the address, damaged items of property, stole a gold bracelet and assaulted a woman.

The court also jailed Ball to six months for a theft of a motor vehicle from the West Midlands.

Ball was sentenced on Monday (13 January) at Wolverhampton Crown Court for theft of a motor vehicle, failing to surrender, making off without payment, two counts of criminal damage, actual bodily harm, burglary and robbery. He was found not guilty of aggravated burglary. He was also disqualified from driving for 58 months and given a 10 year restraining order.

 Ball pleaded guilty to robbery, criminal damage, actual bodily harm and burglary.

Detective Constable Daniel Douglas, from force CID, said: “Ball preyed on a vulnerable woman who simply pulled up to post a letter. She was thrown out of the way, injured and left shaken.

“We are pleased with this sentence and will continue to bring offenders to justice.”