A 26-year-old illegal immigrant who had been living in Oldbury has been jailed for ten months after he tried to rob a woman of her handbag so he could buy a blanket to keep warm.

Avtar Toor, an unemployed labourer, told police after his arrest he had lost his accomodation, it was cold having to sleep rough and he feared he would die of exposure Wolverhampton Crown Court heard today (Thursday).

Toor grabbed the woman's shoulder bag after she got off a bus and she was pulled violently but the straps broke and the contents fell onto the floor.

He quickly ran away from the scene, said Miss Alka Brigue prosecuting, but an off-duty police officer in the area picked up a report of the crime and he helped carry out an arrest.

Toor, who had been living in Barker Street, admitted robbery and was told by Judge Nicholas Webb it was clear he had found himself in "desperate personal circumstances."

He said Toor, who had overstayed his permission to reside in the United Kingdom, had no money and he had been evicted from his lodgings.

The Judge said: "You only had the clothes you were standing in and you had slept rough the previous night.

"You were frightened you would die of exposure"

But the Judge stressed robbery was an extremely serious offence and only an immediate custodial sentence was appropriate for the crime.

Mr Rashad Mohammed defending told the court Toor realised the impact his robbery had on the victim and was full of remorse for his actions.

He said Toor was hungry and frightened wanted money to buy a blanket so he could keep warm if he had to continue sleeping rough.

The Judge said Toor would be deported back to India when he had completed his time behind bars.