A MUGGER who punched an elderly woman in the face during an attempted street robbery has been jailed for three years.

Neil Samuel attempted snatching a bag of groceries from 67-year-old Mansell Millward but punched the pensioner's 65-year-old wife Karen in the mouth when she tried to stop him.

The couple had been walking along Newmarch Street in Llanfaes, Brecon when 33-year-old Samuel, of Coryton Close, targeted them as they walked home just after 2pm on December 3.

Prosecutor David Pugh told Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court Samuel tried grabbing the bag from Mr Millward: "His wife saw what was going on and as the defendant grabbed the bag she managed to wrestle it from him, this, she said, took two to three seconds.

"She shouted 'leave it, let it go', and 'stop that' but the defendant looked towards Mrs Millward and punched her to the mouth, causing it to bleed."

Samuel, who was high on drink and drugs at the time, had admitted two charges of attempted robbery at an earlier hearing in December.

Nichola Harris, defending, said: "He has entered a guilty plea at the very earliest opportunity. Despite the fact he has very little recollection of what occurred that day he absolutely accepts what the witnesses say must have happened.

"It is noted in the pre sentence report his remorse is genuine remorse for what he has done to the couple rather than the situation he finds himself in."

For the full story see this week's Brecon & Radnor Express - on sale now