A knife-wielding robber has been put behind bars after he targeted a woman who won £1,100 from a fruit machine.

William Smith's victim was leaving an amusement arcade in Leysdown when she was threatened.

Smith repeatedly demanded she hand over her purse and, with a knife in hand, he lunged at the victim.

Following a struggle, he picked up the purse from the ground and ran away.

CCTV images pictured Smith fleeing the scene in Leysdown Road, and a member of the public was able to identify the robber.

Police also retrieved a hat which Smith was wearing until it fell off during the tussle.

Two months after the attack on June 2 last year, officers tracked him down to an address in Shoreham where he was arrested.

Despite claiming in interview that he was not in Leysdown on the date of the offence, forensic enquiries found Smith's DNA profile on the seized hat.

The 27-year-old, of Beechwood Drive, Meopham, went on to admit robbery and possessing a bladed article in a public place.

He was remanded in custody, until being sentenced for six years at a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court today.

Detective Constable Dan Bister said: ‘The levels of violence that Smith was prepared to use to steal this money shows him to be a clear danger to the public and I welcome the sentence that has been imposed.

"We will never show any tolerance for offending of this nature and I am pleased that we have now secured justice for the victim of this case."