A callous thief snatched a handbag from the back of a woman's wheelchair while her carer was being a Good Samaritan to a passer-by.

As she was helping a woman, who had fallen over in the street, Neil Elmslie, took the opportunity to grab the bag from her charge's wheelchair and ran off.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today that his 22-year-old victim had felt a tug and realising her handbag had been stolen shouted to her carer who promptly chased after the thief.

"She stopped him and took the handbag back off him and he ran off," said Carmel Wylde, prosecuting.

Fortuately all the contents were intact and the victim, who suffers from cerebral palsy, later told police, "I think this will affect my independence," explaining that she was now nervous to go out alone or or even with a carer.

Elmslie was arrested soon after the incident in Claughton Road, Birkenhead, Wirral, and made no comment when interviewed but was picked out on an identity parade.

Sentencing 42-year-old Elmslie, who has committed 117 previous offences, Judge Andrew Hatton said, "This was the grossest of offences. It is difficult to imagine a more unpleasant offence of theft in the street than this."

He jailed Elmslie, of no fixed address, to 25 months' imprisonment.

John Weate, defending, said, "His first words to me in conference were that he was absolutely disgusted with himself".

He explained that Elmslie had not been out of prison long and had been living on the street at the time of the theft.

"He was affected by alcohol that day and it had been an impulsive offence and he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity."