A 71-YEAR-OLD man chased and caught a robber who had snatched his friend’s handbag.

The have-a-go hero clashed heads with the offender during the struggle but managed to hold him over a garden wall until police arrived.

Raymond Cox had been out for the evening with friends and was walking home along Washington Avenue when 29-year-old Adam Power struck.

Simon Jones, prosecuting, told Bournemouth Crown Court that one of Mr Cox’s friends, 61-year-old Sandra Atkinson, was carrying a handbag with a shoulder strap.

Speaking about the incident, which happened on October 24 this year, Mr Jones said: “Adam Power approached her from behind and grabbed her handbag from her shoulder that forced her to the floor.”

He said Mrs Atkinson suffered a slight injury to her elbow and head during the robbery.

Mr Jones said Mr Cox chased Power but was punched, causing him a small cut to his left eye.

“Mr Cox chased the offender up the road, he grabbed hold of him and managed to hold him over a garden wall.”

During the struggle Mr Cox clashed heads with Power and the pensioner suffered a slight cut to his head.

Power was detained by Mr Cox until the police arrived and arrested him for assault and robbery, Mr Jones added.

Power, of Litten Road, Bournemouth, told police he had been released from prison three days before the offence and would have used the money to pay for a B&B.

Timothy Bradbury, mitigating, said Power has been addicted to serious drugs from a young age.

He added: “He does feel remorseful about this offence. It was a particularly mean offence that the victim was a lady and an elderly lady.”

Judge Samuel Wiggs jailed Power for two years for the offence of robbery and two years for the assault offence to run concurrently.