A COUPLE were injured in a mugging as they left a Burnley working men's club.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Brenda Pilkington, 54, was pulled into a wall while her 64-year-old husband was pushed away and fell to the ground during the attack at the hands of Philip Stansfield, who later went on to burgle a man's home while he was at home.

Stansfield, now living in London, was sent to prison for a total of three and a half years, to be served after the unexpired portion of his last sentence. He admitted robbery and was committed for sentence for burglary by Pennine magistrates.

Judge Raymond Bennett said he had a long record, had a previous conviction for robbery and had been released from custody last August.

Mark Lamberty, prosecuting, said Mr and Mrs Elkington were leaving Paradise Working Men's Club on Colne Road, when the defendant approached them from behind. He grabbed Mrs Elkington's bag, pulled her into a wall and her husband was pushed away. Mrs Elkington later went to hospital and was found to have suffered a broken collar bone. Her husband, who had lost his glasses during the attack, had difficulty breathing due to bruised ribs.

Mr Lamberty said the defendant later went into a house in Burnley where occupant David Parkinson was asleep on the settee in the early hours. He confronted Mr Parkinson, after the complainant had heard a noise, and took his jacket, which had £50 and his mobile phone in it.

Stansfield later told a woman he had thrown the jacket away and he would try to get the money back, but he didn't. He said somebody else had used it to buy heroin.

Anthony Cross, defending, said Stansfield knew custody would follow. Until the age of 26, he had not committed one single offence, despite being a heroin user as he had been able to buy drugs with his wages. He then lost his job and began to commit offences and lead an itinerant lifestyle.

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