A FLEEING shoplifter who smashed his elbow hard into the chest of a security guard, who had a heart attack minutes later, has been jailed for 18 months.

Connor Kirkley was high on crack cocaine and on early release from prison for a knife offence when he went stealing at the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in June.

The 22-year-old had just been stopped by other shoppers as he made off with around £400 worth of clothes from Hugo Boss when Mark Cook stepped in to detain him.

The violent addict, from Royal Wootton Bassett, lashed out and elbowed the guard hard in the chest before grappling on the floor as he tried to get away.

And about five minutes after the scrap the battered and bruised grandfather keeled over with a heart attack, which he believes was brought on by the assault. But because he had a history of cardiac problems prosecutors said they could not attribute the near fatal episode to the elbow in the ribs and struggle.

David Scutt, for the Crown, said: “He was taken as an emergency to the hospital; thankfully he pulled through but it was touch and go.

“The doctor put the struggle and stress as part of the contribution to the heart attack, but there were other lifestyle issues. It may have occurred at another time.”

He said that the victim’s cardiologist told how a stent had been fitted in the past and he had heart lesions.

Kirkley had been released from prison on May 18 after being jailed for six months for knife offences.

On June 1 he was at the Designer Outlet stealing clothes worth about £400 from Ralph Lauren before being caught when he returned the following day.

Mr Scutt said that Kirkley admitted he had taken crack cocaine shortly before the incident and denied biting the finger of Mr Cook in the struggle.

He initially denied the assault but eventually pleaded guilty on the morning of trial.

In a victim personal statement, Mr Cook said that he had been off work for about four months and only returned to light duties.

He said that the incident had made him anxious, having trouble sleeping, with memory issues and he was wary of groups.

Kirkley, of Eveleigh Road, admitted two counts of theft and one of actual bodily harm.

Peter Binder, defending, said that his client is in the firm grip of a drug addiction and also had mental health issues, including Asperger’s.

Jailing him Judge Tim Mousley QC said: “On June 2 when you were stealing from Hugo Boss, Mark Cook was working there as a security officer.

“You were very agitated, you were not coming quietly, Mr Cook took hold of you, you struggled and hit Mr Cook in the chest with your elbow: it was a hard blow.

“The two of you then fell to the ground and you were wrestling. He managed to subdue you. Within a very short period of time he suffered a heart attack.”