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A man has been jailed for a botched handbag mugging after his victim realised he was brandishing a fake gun.

Stephen Murphy produced the bogus weapon as he tried to wrestle the bag from a woman outside a shop on Hale Road in Widnes, Cheshire.

She realised the gun was false and the 56-year-old attacker fled.

He was sentenced to five years and three months for robbery and possessing an imitation firearm at Liverpool Crown Court.

Murphy, of Halebank Road in Widnes, Cheshire, admitted the 30 October offences at an earlier hearing.

Cheshire Police said Murphy became embroiled in a tussle with the 37-year-old woman, who he claimed was his ex-wife when challenged by a passer-by.

'Shaken up'

He managed to pull the bag from the woman's hands and fled, being chased by the passer-by and two others.

A staff member at the shop called police and Murphy was traced and arrested three days later.

Det Con Kerif Smythe said the "frightening" attack had left the victim "extremely shaken up."

He added: "Had she not realised that the handgun Murphy was holding was a fake, it would have been an even more terrifying incident.

"Thankfully, a young man in the area saw what was happening and came to her aid."