Art teacher snares mugger by drawing detailed picture for police

When retired art teacher Jill Smith was mugged by a drug addict in a car park she hardly any time to react.



But not only did the 71-year-old pensioner have the presence of mind to get a glimpse of his face - she even drew a detailed picture of what he looked like for the police.



The sketch was so good that officers immediately recognised 31-year-old serial offender Lloyd Talbot as her attacker and arrested him.

In the frame: Lloyd Talbot and the sketch of him drawn by Mrs Smith

And, after a short trial at magistrates' court, he has been found guilty of attacking Mrs Smith. Talbot, who served time in prison earlier this year for stealing collection tins from the Royal British Legion, was given an 18-week suspended prison sentence. He was also ordered to pay Mrs Smith £60 compensation and told to take part in a six-month rehabilitation programme to help him tackle his drug problem.

Retired art teacher Jill Smith holds up the sketch of Lloyd Talbot which led to his arrest and eventual prosecution A triumphant Mrs Smith said: 'I got a really good look at him when he looked back at me as he rode off. 'The police arrived soon after and the officer asked if I could describe him at all.

'I told her if I had paper and pen, I could draw him no problem and she promptly gave me her notebook. RELATED ARTICLES Previous

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Next Pictured: Incredible watercolour paintings by boy aged just SIX Share this article Share 'I have done a lot of portraits of people and it was easier to draw him than give a verbal description of what he looked like.'

Mrs Smith, from Derwentside, County Durham, was loading her shopping into the back of her car after a trip to B&Q in Gateshead when Talbot struck last September.

31-year-old Talbot pounced on his victim in a B&Q car park



'He stole the bag in one motion, he didn't stop as he leaned in and stole her purse,' said David Mayhew, prosecuting.



'As he rode off he turned around and she got a good look at his profile.'



It was long enough for her to commit his face to memory.



His forehead and nose were are on the same angle, she recalled, and his high cheekbones and receding hairline were unforgettable.



When officers arrived and asked Mrs Smith for a description of her attacker she instantly began to draw his face.



During police interviews Talbot denied being responsible and said he had not been to B&Q all year.



But he was later picked out in a line up by Mrs Smith and a Good Samaritan who came to her rescue when she shouted for help.



This woman, said Mr Mayhew, had seen Talbot circling the car park moments before he swooped into Mrs Smith's bag.



Talbot, from Jesmond, Newcastle, denied the theft but was found guilty after a trial at Gateshead Magistrates' Court.



Robert Hart, defending, said his client still denies being responsible.



Mrs Smith, who has a daughter and three grandchildren, previously worked in a prison for 18 years teaching inmates to draw and used to pen portraits of visitors to a shopping centre.



She is used to assessing people's appearance in seconds and that is what happened when she saw Talbot’s profile as he turned back to look at her.



Mrs Smith said she now hoped Talbot would get the help to overcome his drug addiction.



'I don't bear him any malice,' she added. 'He needs to get his drug problem sorted.'

