A THIEF robbed a partially-sighted “anxious” man who was trying to withdraw money from a Southampton cash machine.

Tara Brown continually pestered Declan Moriarty by asking him for the time as he used the ATM at Sainsbury’s, in Redcar Street, Shirley.

Mr Moriarty, who wears thick lensed glasses to aid his sight, was then pushed by the 35-year-old and robbed of £100 cash.

Southampton Crown Court heard that the Daily Echo’s appeal for information following the incident help bring Brown to justice after a security guard read our article, recognised her and contacted the authorities.

Prosecutor Richard Onslow told the court that the police released CCTV images after they were informed of the street robbery.

He said: “Brown pushed Mr Moriarty with force and out of the way and then grabbed the money.

“She then ran off. Some young boys told Mr Moriarty which was she had gone but he was unable to catch up with her.

“However, a while later a young spirited boy, with cash in his hands, asked Mr Moriarty whether this was enough money for him and handed over £60.”

It was unclear how the boy managed to get the money.

In a victim statement, Mr Moriarty said that he was “now even more anxious to use his card and take money out or use his back card at all.”

The court heard that Brown, who sobbed continually throughout her hearing, had been addicted to class A drugs at the time of the offence and had recently had a newborn baby taken into care.

Mitigating, Claire Wiggett explained that since the incident she had “gone cold turkey” in a bid to turn her life around but was still dependant on cannabis and alcohol.

Brown, a former hairdresser, was previously of good character.

Brown, of Cedar Road, Inner Avenue, Southampton, pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.