A MAN who drove off in a stolen car, dragging along its terrified owner, has been jailed.

The woman pensioner saw the man sitting in her car, which had a broken window, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

She told him to get out of the Nissan Primera and tried to stop him driving off.

But she was dragged along the street for a short distance before falling to the ground.

Jeremy Heath, 35, of High Street, Sible Hedingham, was jailed for 12 months over the incident, on February 20, in Harlow.

Police found the vehicle in a Harlow car park and kept watch until Heath returned, when he was arrested. He told police he had bought the car for £150.

At an earlier hearing, Heath denied handling the car, but he was convicted and sent to crown court for sentencing.

Emma Nash, prosecuting, said the owner suffered stress, shock, and cuts and bruises to her arms, back and bottom.

She said the victim had consequently found it difficult to go shopping and to church because of what happened.

Ms Nash said Heath told police he saw the car had a broken window and door lock when he bought it. He did not ask any questions, but did not think it was stolen.

Alex Lindsey, mitigating, said Heath still maintained his innocence, and added he was suffering from severe depression, and was trying to get off prescription methadone.

She said there were concerns about how he would cope in custody.

Judge Christopher Ball QC told Heath what happened to the woman was frightening.

Heath was sentenced to six months in prison for handling the stolen vehicle, and six months for breach of a suspended sentence, imposed in February of last year, for burglary and theft. The terms are to run consecutively.