A DRUG addict who left a pensioner suffering nightmares and anxiety attacks must comply with a rehabilitation order or face being sent to prison.

Heather Waterland, of South Street, Keighley, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and told to take part in a drug rehabilitation requirement after she abused and threatened a 74-year-old man.

Michael Greenhalgh, prosecuting at Bradford Crown Court, said the pensioner had known Waterland, 30, for a number of years after he took pity on her and frequently gave her cash.

On July 12 last year, Waterland phoned the man and asked him for money, but he declined.

"He refused and she was unhappy and said she would come to his flat and cause trouble," Mr Greenhalgh told the court.

The man agreed to meet her the following morning at the Airedale Shopping Centre, in Keighley, but the meeting quickly turned sour when he again refused to hand over cash.

Mr Greenhalgh added: "He said he would not be giving her any more money.

"She became angry and grabbed him and walked off with him while searching his pockets."

The move was made to look like Waterland was walking arm in arm with the 74-year-old, but the court heard she was in fact searching him for money.

Mr Greenhalgh said a security guard witnessed the struggle and shouted at Waterland to leave the man alone.

She left the scene and when the man searched his pockets, he discovered a packet of biscuits and £5 was missing.

Waterland pleaded guilty to theft, but Nicholas Leadbeater, defending, said CCTV showed the pair walking some distance apart and the man was not being "frogmarched" out of the shopping centre.

In a victim impact statement, the man said the incident had exacerbated his mental health problems.

He said fear and anxiety was stopping him from going to sleep and waking him up when he eventually did.

He added that he suffered from nightmares and any progress he had made with his mental health had gone backwards after the theft.

His Honour Judge Jonathan Rose told Waterland that she must comply with her rehabilitation order and stop offending.

He added: "You have been given chances because I have absolutely no doubt you have a lot of other issues.

"You have taken advantage of a 74-year-old man who was bending over backwards to help you for no reason other than he felt sorry for you.

"You intimidated and bullied him and left him in such a state of distress that he is frightened in his own home."