A man has been jailed for grabbing a woman around the neck through her car window in an attempted robbery at Southend Hospital.

Malcolm Mason, 47, of no fixed address approached the victim while she sat in her car in the hospital carpark.

He begun talking to the woman and as she pulled away, he tried to force his way through the window, grabbing her around the neck.

The victim managed to force the man off and drove away.

Swabs taken from the driver’s side window of the car were analysed and came up with a DNA match to Mason.

He was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery on September 5 and charged the following day.

Mason later appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday October 9 where he admitted to the charge.

He was jailed for 15 months following the incident on Monday August 20.

Detective Constable Shelley Utley, from Southend CID, said: “This was a frightening experience for the victim and I want to praise her for courage and composure during the incident.

“Malcolm Mason brazenly attempted to steal from the victim as she sat in her car in a busy car park in the middle of the day.

“The DNA evidence we had against him left him with little choice but to admit his guilt.”