A man who conned a woman into giving him a lift before stealing her bank card and making fraudulent purchases has been jailed.

Craig Parkinson aged 35  of Newton Terrace, Dukinfield  was yesterdaysentenced to five years and three months in prison at Manchester crown court after pleading guilty to robbery, possession of a bladed article and three counts of fraud by false representation.

The court that back in September, Parkinson approached a woman on High Street in Rochdale claiming he needed a lift because he was being pursued by a gang of men.

The woman drove the man to Peel Street where he asked her to pull over, before reaching into the back of her vehicle to grab her handbag. A struggle ensured, whereupon Parkinson produced a large knife and held it to the woman’s throat, before fleeing the vehicle with the bag.

He then used the woman’s bank card to make several purchases from convenience stores, including for alcohol and bunches of flowers.

Inspector Andrew Fern of GMP’s Rochdale District said “We can’t understate the impact this offence has had on the woman.

“Her life was turned upside down by Parkinson’s vicious and selfish acts of criminality.

“Our thoughts are with her and we hope that this sentence will help offer some measure of closure now that Parkinson is behind bars.

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank the team of officers from the Rochdale Neighbourhood Task Force who quickly and effectively brought Parkinson to justice and continue to make Rochdale a safer place to live.”

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