Lone women targeted in bag snatch attacks

'DESPERATE' DAD JAILED FOR ROBBERY

- By ROB KENNEDY

A STREET robber left two lone women terrified and ruined a graduation celebration after targeting them in brazen city centre bag snatch attacks.

Hungry for cash after losing his job, Daniel Lee turned to Google to look up handbag robberies and ways to make cash when in debt.

He then sought to put his research into practice by prowling Newcastle city centre at night looking for vulnerable victims.

On July 16 this year, his first victim had been on a night out celebrating her graduation when she had the misfortune to encounter Lee.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that she left Tup Tup Palace at 2.20am to meet another group of friends and headed towards the High Level bridge.

When she got to the junction of Westgate Road, she saw a man running towards her at speed.

The man - Lee - ran into her, grabbing her handbag from her shoulder with so much force that the handle snapped and it fell to the floor.