Nellie Horseman yesterday spoke of her disgust at the incident after the burglar was jailed at York Crown Court.

The thief, Nina Catherall, had been charged with 88 other offences since 1992, some against other elderly victims.

Mrs Horseman, of High Street, Eastfield, said the attack had left her deeply upset. Catherall just walked into her home.

In light of the cowardly and despicable crime against a woman aged 101, the Evening News yesterday asked North Yorkshire Police in Northallerton to release a picture of Catherall, 32. It refused to do so.

But brave Mrs Horseman agreed to be identified – and to have her picture published.

She told of her relief that evil Catherall was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after taking the pensioner's purse containing £80 in October – all the elderly woman's money to pay bills for that week.
Catherall then splashed the money on cocaine.

Catherall, of Manham Hill, Eastfield, brazenly entered the pensioner's home and distracted the centenarian before helping herself to the purse.

The court was told Catherall had previously been charged with 88 other offences since 1992, including a number against elderly victims.

Mrs Horseman said: "I'm shocked she could do something like this to an older person. I don't normally like to see anyone go to prison at a young age but she came in and took my purse. I didn't know her. She just walked into my house while I was watching television and started talking to me about the Braeburn House care home."

Read the full story in Thursday's Evening News