A thief was thwarted by a brave off-duty policeman who retrieved a handbag minutes after it had been snatched from a startled woman, Croydon Crown Court heard last week.

Charles Evans, 21, of Westbourne Road, Penge, thought he had gotten away with it when he made the grab on Beckenham High Street, on October 21.

But luckily for victim Collette McLoughlin, PC Roger Sketchley was nearby.

PC Sketchley struggled with the thief who punched him in the face, giving him a black eye.

Evans pleaded guilty to the attack which occurred five days after he had been bailed for another offence of possession of an offensive weapon.

James Kitchen, prosecuting, said: "Evans came up from behind, pushed the victim and grabbed her bag.

When PC Sketchley caught up with him, seizing his arm, Evans swore and punched him in the face, bruising his eye.

He added: "He said he had gone to his former place of work to collect money owed to him, but no-one was there.

"On the spur of the moment he decided to take the bag because he needed cash."

Judge Timothy Stow QC told Evans: "Robbery is always a very serious offence and this is no exception.

"It involved an unpleasant attack on a young woman.

"It was followed by an assault on an off-duty policeman who was attempting to arrest you.

He added: "I have no hesitation in coming to the conclusion that only custody can be justified."

Evans was jailed for three years and two months.