frightening Woman who was followed and had her bag snatched now 'nervous walking on her own', court told

A WOMAN who was followed from a city centre train station and had her bag snatched was now "nervous walking on her own," a court heard.

Shane McKenny (35) pushed the bag off the victim's shoulder and grabbed it but was chased and caught by gardaí.

Judge Bryan Smyth said the offence warranted jail but adjourned the case for a pre-sentence probation report.

McKenny, a father-of-one of Tower View, Tinure, Co Louth, pleaded guilty to theft.

Dublin District Court heard at 8.05pm last March 4, he followed the victim from Connolly Station to Talbot Street.

He pushed the strap of her bag off her shoulder from behind, then grabbed it and ran.

The woman now "gets nervous walking on her own or near people," the court heard.

"She doesn't want to see the defendant again," Garda Sergeant Maire McDevitt said.

At the time, McKenny, a "family man", had been sober for 10 years and had relapsed into drug use, his barrister Tara McLoughlin said.

He was "very apologetic and accepts the hurt that was caused", Ms McLoughlin said.

Judge Smyth said it "warranted a custodial sentence" when someone could not "walk down the streets of our main city without being subjected to this type of behaviour".

Ms McLoughlin said the accused could compensate the victim.

"She doesn't want to have anything more to do with him," Sgt McDevitt said.