A THIEF who stole a purse from a pensioner has been sentenced to a suspended jail term.

Karen Rigby, 47, of Pitt Street, stole the purse containing £30 from the Billinge woman in St Helens on December.

Rigby, who is a previous offender and was serving a community order at the time of the theft, pleaded guilty to the charge before St Helens Magistrates’ Court. She was sentenced to an eight week prison sentence that has been suspended for 12 months.

Rigby will serve a 12 month supervision order and pay a £90 penalty at a rate of £5 a week from her benefits.