A devastated son today accused the Government of failing to look after its citizens after his 77-year-old mother was robbed for the fifth time near her Wolverhampton home.

Malcolm Beard’s mother was knocked to the ground when her handbag was stolen in Whitmore Reans on Thursday.

Today her family were keeping a vigil at New Cross Hospital where she has been sedated since the attack.

It is nine years since the pensioner’s last assault, which made the front page of the Express & Star when it emerged police took more than two hours to see her.

Today Mr Beards, of Fordhouses, launched a blistering attack on the authorities, accusing them of failing in their duties.

In an open letter to Gordon Brown he said: “Current and successive previous Governments have completely failed in their overriding responsibility – which is the safety of its citizens.”