A drug addict has been jailed for attacking a blind pensioner suffering with dementia in his own home.

George Steers, 44, of Foxton Grove in Mitcham, forced his way into the 69-year-old's home in Colliers Wood on September 4, 2012, and stole money.

Steers, who had drank seven pints of alcohol before the attack, admitted to having a drug and alcohol addiction and said he needed the money to buy drugs.

He was arrested on September 14 and charged the following day.

At Kingston Crown Court on Friday, March 22, he was jailed for five years for robbery after pleading guilty.

Steers was convicted of three similar offences in 2009 against vulnerable victims including a theft from a disabled 87-year-old woman who he convinced to give him a lift.

While in the car he stole from her purse and ran from the car.

On another occasion he followed an 85-year-old woman home from the supermarket approaching her outside her home where he stole from her rucksack.

A third offence saw Steers offering to help an 82-year-old woman with her shopping before following her home and asking to use her bathroom and once inside stole from her home.

Passing sentence at Kingston Crown Court last week, the judge said Steers' repeated targeting of elderly and vulnerable victims was "extremely unpleasant" and that his sentence needed to deter him from further offending to protect the public.

He said it was clear Steers was prepared to use force, found that force was necessary and had used it.

Detective Constable Richard Kempshall, of Merton police, said: "In my view this man minimises the risk of being caught by deliberately targeting the vulnerable, those unable to protect themselves, those that pose no threat to him and those that are caused undue distress by the resulting prosecution and court process.

"These cowardly acts have resulted in him being sentenced to a total of five years custody, highlighting the severity and the callousness of his offending.

"This conviction was made possible by proactive and persistent efforts by Wimbledon CID and community officers to identify and then locate Steers, resulting in an evidential package that left him no choice but to plead guilty."

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Williams, Merton’s borough commander, added: "The combined efforts of those involved ensured that despite the obvious difficulties in dealing with a particularly vulnerable victim, the suspect was identified, arrested and charged within 10 days of the offence happening. 

"Steers had previous convictions for similar attacks on other elderly persons and because of this we went to great lengths to ensure that he remained in custody following his arrest last September up until his trial."