AN ADDICT so desperate for drugs that he beat up an elderly woman and left her for dead was today jailed for nine years.

York Crown Court heard that Simon Christopher Watts' attack on 73-year-old Jean Simpson was just one of his violent attempts to get money on January 24.

Ayshea Megyery, prosecuting, said that less than half an hour before the alleyway attack, Watts had attempted to rob 60-year-old grandmother Diana Benton as she pushed her grandchild in a pushchair towards some shops.

Immediately before then, shop worker David Smith had stopped Watts' bid to grab cash from the till of his wife's shop in Clifton, and Watts had also been thwarted by Maureen Irving in T & M Stores, Newby Terrace, Clifton, as he tried to steal from her.

The Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, told Watts: "This indictment reflects one day's activity for you when you were beside yourself by your need for funds for drugs."

The judge said of the two street attacks: "What you did to these elderly women was quite appalling, in particular to the victim of counts five and six (Mrs Simpson), was sickening."

Watts, 27, of Sirocco Court, Fossway, pleaded guilty to theft of food from the Spar shop and Texaco's garage in Mill Lane at 9.20am, attempted theft of cash from T & M Stores at 9.50am, attempted robbery of Mr Smith at 9.55am, attempted robbery of Mrs Benton shortly after 10am and robbery and wounding with intent of Mrs Simpson shortly after 10.30am.

He was jailed for nine years.

His barrister, Eric Elliott, said he had committed the offences while under a drug habit which he had kicked while in jail.

Miss Megyery, said that Watts had laid in wait for anybody elderly in an alleyway between Crombie Avenue and Kingsway North.

Mrs Simpson used the alleyway every Saturday to visit her daughter. Watts ran past her and grabbed her shoulder bag out of her hand.

Kellie Fowler, who heard Mrs Simpson shout for help, saw from the windows of her nearby house how Watts punched her five times, kicked her in the head, grabbed something from her, and ran off leaving her bleeding heavily on the head, and lying on the ground.

Mrs Simpson had cuts and bruises to her face and was so shocked by the incident she is now scared whenever she is out of her house and no longer uses the alleyway.

Mrs Benton was on her way to the shops when Watts confronted her and said "give me your purse." He lurched forward and pulled open the hood of the pushchair containing her grandson in a vain search for Mrs Benson's purse, before running off.

After the attacks on the two women, Watts ran to the home of a man called Philip Noble, grabbed some knives and thought about killing himself.

Updated: 13:26 Monday, June 28, 2004