Darren Archer, 35, of Tang Hall, York, who was jailed for nearly five years for robbing a pensioner.

A FRAIL pensioner tipped into the road on his motorised scooter by a cruel robber today vowed: "I wish I'd run him over."

William Elliott, 83, of the Groves, York, confronted thug Darren Archer after his wheelchair was pushed over a kerb and into the gutter, only yards ahead of traffic.

Speaking after Archer, 35, was jailed for nearly five years, the Second World War veteran said: "I just wish I'd been able to start my scooter up and then I'd have run right at the beggar."

Mr. Elliott who was tipped off his motorised scooter into the road by a cruel robber said on Saturday: "I wish I'd run him over."

Brave 83-year-old William Elliott stood up to thug Darren Archer after his wheelchair was pushed over a kerb and into the gutter, only yards away from heavy traffic.

Speaking after the mugger was jailed for nearly five years, Second World War veteran Mr Elliott said: "If a car had been passing at that very minute, I could have been killed.

"I just wish I'd been able to start my scooter up and then I'd have run right at the begger and rode over his foot."

Determined Mr Elliott, a former Royal Signals linesman who served in the Middle East, was saved by shocked passers-by, as two have-a-go-heroes raced after the fleeing robber and cornered him in an alleyway.

As the shaking pensioner was pulled from the path of queueing cars, Good Samaritans John Barrett and Michael Davitt chased down Archer and forced him to hand over his £150 loot.

The two men, who rushed down parallel streets and trapped Archer at the bottom, said today: "We're just glad to help the old guy and that a dangerous criminal's been taken off the streets."

Heroin addict Archer, 35, of Frobisher House, Woolnough Avenue, Tang Hall, York, admitted robbery and a separate offence of handling when he appeared at York Crown Court on Thursday.

He was jailed for three years and three months for the robbery, nine months for the handling and 300 days of an unserved drugs sentence.

William, a former Rowntree worker who also worked at power stations across Yorkshire, had picked up the pension cash from Haxby Road Post Office in July this year.

The elderly bachelor, of March Street, York, said: "I'm glad Archer has been locked up for nearly five years and he's off the streets, so he can't hurt anyone else. I hope he rots in prison for what he did.

"I didn't serve my country for four years and work hard all my life only for some druggie to come and rob me of my pension.

"But he hasn't stopped me going out on my scooter around town. I might be old, but I'm not going to let thugs like him frighten me into staying shut up indoors."

Mr Elliott, who suffered a bruised elbow and a bump to his head, was helped by passersby and two nurses from a nearby health surgery who came to help.

Mr Barrett, 41, of Vyner Street, York, said: "I was in my van with my son in Haxby Road waiting in the queue of traffic and we could see a crowd of people and knew something had happened."

John, a single dad-of-four, bravely ran after the robber through The Groves area and eventually found him hiding in an alleyway.

Police officers found the pension money in Archer's belt and later handed it back to Mr Elliott, who was allowed home after a hospital check-up.

Addict was on parole at time of mugging

JIM Withyman, prosecuting at York Crown Court on Thursday, said Archer was on parole for drug dealing and on bail for other crimes at the time of the attack.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC called the robbery a "despicable offence."

He added: "Fortunately, his (Mr Elliott's) injuries were not serious physically, but one cannot begin to imagine the psychological effect which this offence must have had on that frail old man."

For Archer, Felicity Davies said he wanted to apologise to Mr Elliott and was truly sorry for what he had done. He had never intended to harm him, only pick his pocket, because he was desperate for cash, she said.

Updated: 08:32 Monday, December 05, 2005