A callous robber who punched a Hackbridge cancer patient in front of her grandchildren has been jailed.

Richmond Banahene, 23, robbed Saleham Jaffer, 63, before dragging her across the floor of a train carriage in full view of her two grandchildren aged four and eight.

Mrs Jaffer, who had just completed a course of chemotherapy, was on her way home after withdrawing £1,000 and was carrying the cash in a carrier bag.

Southwark Crown Court was told how on October 18, 2006, Banahene and his accomplice, Nathaniel Grey clocked the money and boarded the same train.

After punching the 5ft 5in woman in the face and smashing her glasses, Banahene grabbed her bag with such force Mrs Jaffer was pulled off her seat and dragged along the floor.

The two robbers then ran from the train clutching the money.

Prosecutor Francis McGrath said: "Mrs Jaffer was sitting on the train with the money in a bag resting in her lap.

"As the train arrived at Hackbridge station, she became aware of a man's hand coming towards her lap." The men attempted to grab her bag but she clung on to it and was then dragged through the train carriage. She was punched in the eye, which caused her to let go of the bag, before the suspects decamped at Hackbridge station

Shortly after the robbery, Grey was arrested and is currently serving 42 months in prison, but Banahene was only caught after DNA was matched to a specimen taken from a hat he had discarded following the robbery.

Although pleading guilty to one count of robbery, he denied being responsible for the violence.

Defence counsel Francis Gilbert said: "The defendant accepts he was part of a team in which violence was inflicted on the complainant. He doesn't accept it was he who struck her."

Banahene, of Alexandra Walk, Norwood, admitted robbery and was jailed for three-and-a-half years.