A MUM robbed a kind neighbour with learning difficulties before arriving at his home with a hammer and a knife concealed in her waistband as she preyed on him for money.

Laura Walker ripped her pensioner neighbour's trousers trying to get his wallet and came to his home later the same day, armed with a hammer and a knife.

The 22-year-old appeared via videolink from prison at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday after previously admitting robbery, possession of a bladed article and criminal damage.

Walker of Willow Way, Redditch, committed the offences against a neighbour on October 26 last year, admitting them at a previous court hearing on December 8.

Adam Western, prosecuting, said the police officer who interviewed the victim described him as 'a lonely man with mild learning difficulties'.

He had even bought the defendant's children toys when she told him they would have none for Christmas in 2015, also posting £20 through her door.

Mr Western said: "He started giving her £20 to £40 per day. He gave her about £1,000 until he decided to stop giving her money. He believed she was using the money to spend on drugs."

During the robbery the defendant was at her own home when she demanded the pensioner give her his wallet, pulling the back of his trousers until they ripped, taking £40 from his wallet before throwing it on the ground.

Later that day she came to his address and Mr Western said she was seen 'banging on his door with a hammer'.

"She admitted this to police when they arrested her. She had on her a kitchen knife with a five inch blade in the waistband of her trousers" said Mr Western.

In police interview she described her victim as a neighbour and a friend but said that when she came to his home address he had 'gone mad, slamming the door on her'.

"She damaged his door with a hammer as a consequence of that" Mr Western told the court.

She told police the £40 she took from his wallet she spent on 'food and fags' and only had the knife for harming herself, not her neighbour.

Walker had no previous convictions but received cautions for shoplifting in July last year and wasting police time in 2009.

Amy Edinborough (corr), defending, said the offences were 'unpalatable' and that her client knew that.

"When she talks about the offences she is utterly ashamed of her behaviour" Miss Edinborough said.

She also said Walker, a mother of two, thought highly of her neighbour and that the two months she had already spent in prison had been a time of great reflection for her and had helped her to mature.

Recorder Robert Spencer-Bernard, sentencing, said: "You went to the home address of your victim having armed yourself with a hammer and a kitchen knife with a five inch blade.

"You were effectively preying on the generosity, kindness and decency of a man described as vulnerable and in his late 60s.

"You seized his wallet, pulling it from his trousers with such force you ripped them.

"I don't accept that the knife was purely to self-harm in front of your victim and carrying a knife with you is always an open door to something very serious happening."

However, he afforded her maximum credit for her early guilty pleas which were entered at the first opportunity and took into account her youth, her lack of previous convictions and time already spent in custody.

He sentenced her to 18 months in prison suspended for 18 months, 12 months for the robbery, six months consecutive for the possession of the blade and one month concurrent for the criminal damage to the door.

Walker was also ordered to complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 100 hours of unpaid work.

She must also pay a victim surcharge. No restraining order was made as the victim did not seek one.