A woman who “heartlessly” tricked her way into the home of a Gillingham pensioner and stole £300 has been jailed for more than five years.

Yvonne Cheek, who was not in court following an earlier angry outburst in which she hurled foul-mouthed abuse at the judge, deliberately targetted the 84-year-old when she returned to her home less than a year later and this time stole her handbag.

Cheek, 52, of Victoria Road, Gillingham, was also jailed for a street robbery in which she kicked away the victim’s crutch.

Sentencing her to a total of 64 months for theft, robbery and burglary, Judge Charles Macdonald QC said he had “absolutely no doubt” that Cheek poses a significant risk of committing further serious and violent offences.

He added that Cheek also presents a particular risk to her own mother, whom she has previously attempted to choke.

“Her attitude to her mother may be indicative to her attitude to elderly people in general,” the judge concluded.