A MUGGER nicknamed “the Laindon snatcher” and his partner in crime will spend Christmas in jail after admitting a string of robberies.

Basildon Crown Court heard Daniel Jacobs, 26, of Mynchens, Laindon, and Carl Willings, 43, of Pickwick Close, Laindon, mainly targeted women in Laindon.

They admitted robbery and fraud charges when they appeared in court yesterday.

The pair turned to robbery after running up debts with infamous Laindon drug gang, the Bush Boys, it was said.

A third defendant, a 16-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, also appeared yesterday, charged with one count of robbery, but entered no plea, since he was not legally represented.

Jacobs and Willings appeared by video link from Chelmsford Prison, where they have been held since they were arrested last month.

Both spoke only to confirmtheir identity and enter guilty pleas.

Willings admitted robbing a woman in Dordells, Laindon, on November 14, and taking a handbag, containing £50, a mobile phone and some make-up.

Jacobs admitted robbing a 58- year-old woman as she left Laindon station with her husband on November 15. He took her handbag, containing an iPhone, another mobile phone, cash and bank cards. The court heard the woman fell on the floor during the robbery and had to go to Basildon Hospital to be given ten staples to a head wound.

Jacobs and Willings also admitted seven counts of fraud by false representation – using bank cards belonging to the robbery victims at cash machines and supermarkets across Basildon – on November 16.

In addition to the robbery and fraud charges, Jacobs asked for two further offences to be taken into consideration, though details of these offences will not be disclosed until he is sentenced.

The pair mainly targeted women aged between 45 and 65, walking alone at night.

Their activities left women in Laindon worried about going out after dark. The victims were threatened, attacked and their handbags were stolen.

At an earlier first appearance at Basildon Magistrates’ Court defence solicitors told the bench Jacobs and Willings were both drug addicts and had run up debts with the Bush Boys – an infamous gang of London drug dealers operating in Laindon.

The 16-year-old is due to appear in court on Monday to face the robbery charge.

Jacobs and Willings are due to be sentenced early next year, and were remanded in custody – so they will spend Christmas in jail.