85-year-old head-butted and robbed in Watford toilet

Abdoulie Sowe rifled through the stunned pensioner’s pockets after barging into a toilet cubicle in Charter Place.

The 48-year-old, who later claimed to police he had been propositioned by his victim, escaped with cash and credit cards.

Police traced Sowe to his room at the nearby YMCA, where he was found smoking cannabis.

The unemployed welder, from The Gambia, was jailed at St Albans Crown Court for two years yesterday.

Geoffrey Porter, prosecuting, explained that the victim was left in a state of shock after the attack.

He had been shopping in Marks & Spencer on April 23, before walking up the High Street to use the toilets in Charter Place.

He saw Sowe sitting on a bench opposite and had a feeling he was looking at him.

After entering the toilet the man noticed the cubicle door was being rattled.

When he opened it Sowe stepped inside and demanded cash. When his victim refused Sowe head-butted him in the mouth, causing him to fall backwards.

He then reached down and searched the victim's back pockets, before making off with the wallet.

When police arrived Sowe claimed to have lashed out after being propositioned by his victim – a version of events the judge did not accept.

He pleaded guilty to Robbery and possession of cannabis.

An impact statement read to the court said the victim was left "angry and shocked" about what had happened, but did not necessarily want his attacker to go to prison.

Collin Allan, for the defence said in mitigation his client had no previous convictions and was remorseful for what he had done.

Passing sentence, Judge Stephen Gullick said: “You clearly targeted an elderly gentleman going to use a public toilet.

"Such people are entitled to protection from those that rob them. You made a demand for money that he refused and head butted him.

"This 85-year-old gentleman was clearly upset by the experience and you clearly targeted this individual, who, by virtue of his age, would be in general terms vulnerable."