A WOMAN was so terrified by a Newport street robbery that she is now too scared to get out of her car and do her job, a court heard.

Victim Mary Tennant, 65, a collecting agent for a money lending company, was subjected to a "terrifying ordeal" when she was attacked and robbed of £810 on May 12, Cardiff crown court was told.

Mrs Tennant works for Provident Personal Credit, part of Provident Financial's UK consumer credit division based at Bradford.

But now, her confidence has gone and she is too scared to get out of her car to do her job, said prosecutor Ieuan Morris.

Aiden Carroll, aged 19, of Dunn Square, Newport, was sent to a young offenders' institution for three years after admitting a charge of robbing her.

Judge Isabel Parry told him: "The offence of street robbery is an extremity. It has had a serious effect on the victim. It is to be hoped she will recover some of her confidence.

"If not it will be directly attributable to the offence you committed against her.

"It was a motiveless attack on an elderly lady going about her business in broad daylight." Mr Morris said that Mrs Tennant had collected in the Pill, Duffryn and Maesglas areas for 26 years. She normally carried out collections alone, the court heard. She was dropped near Charlotte Walk and was about to make her next collection when Carroll wrenched the bag from her and Mrs Tennant fell heavily to the ground.

On May 23 the bag was found by a woman out walking her dog in Coulson Close, Pill.

In it, said Mr Morris, were documents relating to Carroll, who was arrested the following day.

Carroll said he spent the cash on alcohol. He also admitted stealing £100 and a stereo unit from two cars.

His counsel, Byron Broadstock, said: "The robbery was not planned, it was impulsive. There was no weapon, little force, and to his credit he made an immediate admission.

"At the time he was effectively homeless. He was living from hand to mouth, and he is truly sorry and devastated at committing such an offence."

Last week, another woman was robbed in Pill while collecting for a loan company.

PC Andy Griffiths, the area's new crime and disorder reduction officer, said the police would advise collectors to be very careful. He said their firms have a dury of care to protect them, and added: "They should vary the route or have another person cover them."