A man has been jailed after carrying out a street robbery near to Preston city centre. 

Phillip Williams approached his victim – a 65-year-old man - from behind and knocked him to the ground.

The victim had just withdrawn £200 from a cash machine outside the Tesco store on Friargate, Williams stealing the money and a bank card from him.

Only the day before the robbery which happened on January 18 this year, the victim had been discharged from hospital having suffered a stroke.

Williams fled the scene but extensive CCTV enquiries by officers helped trace him, and he was arrested two days later in the city centre.

CCTV footage showed Williams watching the victim use the cash machine before following him and committing the robbery.

Williams, 29, of Ashmoor Street, Preston, pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery when he appeared at Preston Crown Court.

He was jailed for four years and three months at a sentencing hearing last week.

Detective Constable Sam Patel of Preston CID said: “This was a serious offence when a vulnerable victim was targeted by Williams.

“The victim is a man in his 60s who was not very well and Williams subjected him to a robbery where he pushed him to the ground and took money from him.”