A thief who assaulted an 84-year-old Hounslow shopkeeper, breaking her collar bone, has been jailed for 18 months.

Jakub Zdancewicz stole 24 bottles of alcohol from the vulnerable woman's store in Whitton Road, last October before attacking her when she confronted him, sending the small woman - just 4ft 10ins in height - crashing to the floor.

The 21-year-old, of no fixed address, admitted actual bodily harm (ABH) and theft, and was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday (February 4) to 18 months in prison.

Zdancewicz had entered the store on the afternoon of Saturday October 11 with two male accomplices. While they were at the counter he went to the back of the shop and put the alcohol into two holdall bags.

When challenged by the woman, who was working alone, he assaulted her. She was treated at hospital for injuries including a broken collar bone and cuts to her head, nose and mouth.

Zdancewicz was identified by police on CCTV footage from a nearby store and was arrested on New Year's Eve. Police said one of his accomplices had been deported to Poland on an arrest warrant.

Detective Constable Darren Young, of Hounslow CID, said: "This was a horrific attack on an 84-year-old woman who was working alone in her shop. Whilst trying to protect her property she was violently attacked by Zdancewicz sustaining a broken collar bone as well as extensive bruising to her face.

"I hope that the sentence can bring some comfort to the victim and help her to move on from what must have been a terrifying ordeal."