TWO brothers who drove a stolen car into a disabled mother and snatched her handbag were jailed for seven years today.

After leaving Trudy Barnes shocked and injured, heroin addicts Jay and John Hedges found her address in the bag and burgled her home.

Police raced to the house in Barlow Close, Rainham, and caught Jay Hedges as he tried to escape through a bedroom window.

Sentencing him to youth custody and John Hedges to prison, Judge Anthony Balston said: “When a robbery is committed by driving a car at the victim and thereby disabling them, it must be one of the most serious forms robbery can take.

“Not only that, the victim is already disabled and that is an aggravating feature of this case.”

Maidstone Crown Court heard that Mrs Barnes, 32, was shopping at Tesco’s in Gillingham on June 9 when a Rover car stopped close to her, causing her three-year-old daughter to fall into bushes.

Catharine Donnelly, prosecuting, said John Hedges, 22, grabbed at the handbag, saying: “Thank you very much.” She wrestled to keep hold of it and was pulled along as the car moved.

Another woman shopper saw what was happening and noted the car registration number. It was discovered that it had been stolen the day before from Daphne Champion’s home in Buckingham Road, Gillingham.

Miss Donnelly said the handbag contained £130 cash and keys to her home and car. When officers arrived, Mrs Barnes, who suffers from a spinal condition, told them that her address was in the bag.

Police arrived at the house to find the stolen car on the drive. Jay Hedges, 20, was arrested in the bedroom. His brother was caught nearby with a watch he had stolen in the burglary. Also taken was £200 and jewellery.

Miss Donnelly said the car was a write-off. Both men were banned from driving and had a long list of convictions. Jay had 21 and John 17, mainly for theft.

The brothers, of Gordon Road, Gillingham, admitted robbery, burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

Gordon Lee, for John Hedges, said his client knew there was little that could be said on his behalf. They had planned to go shoplifting and the robbery was on the spur of the moment, he said.

Mr Lee added that drugs had driven the offending and he had since been receiving help while on remand at Elmley Prison, Sheppey.

James Sutherland, for Jay Hedges, said he intended to write to the victim offering his abject apologies.

Judge Balston imposed six years for robbery, one year consecutive for aggravated vehicle taking and four years concurrent for burglary. They were each banned from driving for three years.