A Chertsey man who robbed an elderly woman and broke her arm has been jailed for over nine years.

John Turner, 28, from Chertsey, admitted to the robbery when he appeared at court on August 16.

The Chertsey man also pleaded guilty to a burglary in Chertsey in 2017.

The traumatic assault, described by the victim as "monstrious", took place in Guildford Street on February 23.

The victim, who was 79 years old, was left with a broken arm after Mr Turner grabbed her handbag, which contained her purse and other personal items, from her shoulder.

Police arrested Mr Turner, and a second man, in connection with the incident.

He was later charged following analysis of CCTV footage and after various witnesses came forward identifying him as the suspect.

In a heart-rending statement, the elderly victim described the "mental and physical scars" his crime had dealt her.

"Although I have made progress with my mobility, I will never get back the mobility that I had.

"This monstrous act of violence has left me with mental and physical scars for the rest of my life.

"Was the theft of a handbag and its contents really worth it to the party involved and the consequences of his terrible act?

"He has robbed my confidence and my quality of life and it will never be the same again," she said.

Detective Constable Joseph Smith, who investigated the case, said: "This was a senseless and violent robbery that has robbed an innocent woman not only of her personal possessions, but also her quality of life.

“His sentence highlights the severity of the offence.

"The witnesses that came forward were crucial in progressing our investigation and I am grateful for the public’s support in this case.

"Their testimony helped put a violent criminal behind bars."

No action is being taken against the second man who was arrested in connection with the offence, Surrey Police said.