Three women who robbed a drunk of his wallet, behaved like a 'bunch of over-the-hill slappers’, a judge said.

Their behaviour was disgraceful and influenced by alcohol when they attacked their victim at the homeless centre by Canterbury East Station, said Judge Timothy Nash.

Melanie Coombs, 39, of no fixed address, Lorraine Hallett, 37, of Union Street, Canterbury and Alison Raines, 41, of Ladysmith Grove, Whitstable were jailed for three years, less 107 days already served, at Canterbury Crown Court having admitted robbing James McCabe on January 19.

All defendants had criminal records and a history of alcohol problems.

Peter Forbes, for Hallett, said she and Mr McCabe knew each other as both frequented the day centre but there was sometimes conflict between them.

She didn’t seek to excuse her behaviour but had drunk a bottle of sherry that day and took advantage of the situation but the violence was relatively minor.

Mr Forbes said Hallett was remorseful,had used her time in custody constructively and accepted she faced a custodial sentence.

Nicholas Jones, for Coombs, said the robbery wasn’t planned and she just joined in.

Nathan Palmer, for Raines, said she played no direct role in the incident.

* For more on this story, see this week's Kentish Gazette out on Thursday