Sanchez Edwards was arrested Monday Pic: Met Police
A 28-year-old man has been arrested for the “horrific” robbery of a pensioner in Hoxton, Scotland Yard confirmed yesterday.
Sanchez Edwards was arrested in Mile End just after midday on July 10 in suspicion of robbery and causing grievous bodily harm to a 92-year-old woman.
CCTV of the robbery showed Edwards following the victim, a recent widow, along Hoxton Street before dragging her to the ground and running off with her handbag containing a mobile phone and £100 cash.
Images released by detectives showed the woman sustained bruising all over her body with especially severe injuries on her ribs and left arm. The victim’s niece said the attack left her “terrified of leaving the house” and she “has lost her independence”.
Detective Inspector Paul Ridley, from Hackney CID, said: “I have been involved in many serious cases, however, the devastating psychological trauma of this victim is possibly the worse I have encountered. It is truly horrific.”
Police said Edwards, a paranoid schizophrenic, had slipped away during his leave from the John Howard Centre, a mental health facility, in May but no warrant was issued for his arrest. Police said he was deemed “medium risk”.
Edwards is currently in custody at an east London police station.
