A DUDLEY town centre jewellery shop worker was injured when a drug addict tried to snatch a £2,700 bracelet.

Wolverhampton Crown Court was told Benjamin Maxwell failed to get away with the bracelet but he left Gemma Jones in considerable pain.

Howard Searle, prosecuting, she was behind the counter at GSK Jewellers in the High Street when Maxwell asked to see the necklace.

Maxwell then made a sudden grab at the item but he fled when he realised his snatch bid was going to be unsuccesful, said Mr Searle.

He said that in a victim impact statement to police Miss Jones described how she had been left angry and shaking, her confidence had been affected and she was in fear of it happening again in the shop.

After leaving Dudley 23-year-old Maxwell went to Lichfield where six hours later he managed to grab a £4,995 Rolex watch from a jewellers shop and, despite being chased by an assistant, he made his getaway.

Judge John Warner jailed Maxwell for 18 months and told him his bid to take the necklace was serious because Miss Jones was alone at the time in the shop.

The judge said: "She mercifully suffered only a minor injury but she was badly affected by what happened," he told Maxwell who admitted attempted robbery and theft.”

James Eaton, for Maxwell of Merton, Buckinghamshire, told the court his client’s "undoing was his drink and drugs problems" and he had been completely oblivious to the fact both offences were caught on CCTV.

He said Maxwell had debts of around £2,000 and he decided to commit the crimes because he was under pressure to come up with the money.