A teenage thug from Hounslow who repeatedly punched and then robbed a 50-year-old woman in a "ferocious" attack has been jailed.
At Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday (April 22), Maurice Lennon, 18, of The Greenway, was sent to prison for three years.
The assault happened when the victim was walking along Sidmouth Avenue in Isleworth, on March 19 last year, at about 8.30pm.
According to police, the victim heard footsteps behind her and as she turned around was punched in her head as Lennon attempted to grab her handbag.
During a struggle, the teen punched her again, this time in the mouth and ear, say officers.
He eventually wrestled the bag from her and ran off.
The woman was taken to hospital where she was treated for injuries to her face and hand as well as dizziness.
A member of the public gave police her handbag the following day after finding it in Moreton Avenue, Isleworth.
Hounslow CID arrested and charged Lennon on April 4 last year after he was seen on CCTV cameras near where the victim was robbed.
Lennon eventually pleaded guilty to the offence on February 9, 2015, at Isleworth Crown Court.
A number of items were seized by police including the clothes he was seen wearing on CCTV footage and his mobile phone.
At the time of the robbery Lennon was on a night-time curfew between 9pm and 7am, but his tag showed he had breached this by 11 minutes on the evening of the attack.
His phone records revealed he had called for a cab four minutes after the robbery from Moreton Avenue where the handbag was dumped.
In a record of the telephone conversation he is heard to be clearly out of breath and eager to get away from the area as quickly as possible.
After the verdict, DC Darren Young, from Hounslow CID said: "This was a terrifying ordeal for Lennon's victim.
"She was punched in the head three times just so he could steal her handbag.
"The ferocity of Lennon's attack could have left her with far more serious injuries.
"Fortunately, she has now recovered physically, but mentally this was a frightening experience which left her with a bloodied face and dizziness.
"Lennon will now be off the streets of Hounslow and hopefully this conviction illustrates we will pursue criminals using all possible means available."
