A BLACKBURN man jailed for manslaughter five years ago has been sent to prison indefinitely after carrying out a street robbery.

Graham Holden, who had 27 previous offences on his record, was given the sentence after the judge said he was capable of ‘violent reactions and inappropriate’ behaviour towards others.

Judge Pamela Badley said the sentence would be reviewed in a year, but stressed: “I cannot say at this stage when you will be released. It will be for the parole board to decide.

"You will only be released when the board is satisfied it is safe to let you out".

Holden, 26, was jailed for four-and-a-half years in 2004 after admitting manslaughter in connection with the death of 87-year-old James Allen.

Mr Allen was pushed over during a burglary at his Accrington home by Holden and 43-year-old Paul Dwyer. He suffered a broken hip and died in hospital two weeks later after an operation on the injury.

Holden was said to have been the lookout during the raid.

Preston Crown Court was told that Holden carried out his latest crime in January.

The victim, a 62-year-old carer, was making her way home from work one evening in Whalley Old Road, Blackburn.

Hilary Banks, prosecuting, said that as the woman passed some flats on Whalley Old Road, Blackburn she sensed that someone was behind.

Her bag was snatched and she fell to the floor, leaving her with cuts and bruises.

Holden was caught after his fingerprint was found inside the discarded stolen bag.

Holden, whose address on court papers was the Salvation Army in Blackburn, pleaded guilty to robbery.

The court heard that weeks before the robbery he had assaulted a 16-year-old girl in a shop queue by kneeing her to the face. She needed eight stitches.

Ricky Holland, defending, said Holden had spent the last six months in custody and took some pride in the fact that he was now drug free.

"This was not a planned robbery. The opportunity was there and he took it," the barrister told the court