A court today sentenced a man to 12 years in prison for committing two thefts, one of which led to the death of an elderly woman.

Richard Attard, 35, committed the thefts with two other men to finance their drug addiction.

The woman, 80-year-old Rose Garroni, was found outside an apartment block at Sliema's Dingli Circus by a passer-by on 8 December 2010 at around 7:15pm.

The court, presided over by Madam Justice Edwina Grima, was told how after the elderly lady resisted the attack, the aggressor shoved her violently, causing her to fall and smash her head on the pavement. As the victim lay bleeding, the aggressor ran off with her bag to a getaway car, a dark Fiat Uno bearing registration plate BAD 189, the court was told.

The accused then drove with his partners to Cottonera to consume drugs and after drove back to Sliema to commit another theft.

On Manwel Dimech Street at 8:15pm the very same day, the men attacked Maria Cassar, 88, and stole her handbag. Mrs Cassar was left in a state of shock with injuries to her shoulder.

On 24 November this year, Attard had admitted guilt of his part in order to avoid a trial by jury.

He was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment, together with a €1,000 fine which would be converted to further jail time if not paid by the accused.