A 27-year-old man from Eccles who stole a woman’s bag moments after she fell to her death is facing jail.
Sean Earle, 27, Trevelyan Street, pleaded guilty to theft at Manchester and Salford’s Magistrates Court.
The court heard he “saw his moment of opportunity” when 55-year-old Linda Clarke fell 50ft from the Albert Road bridge over the M602 motorway at around 5am on Friday 17 April.
The mother-of-three tragically died shortly after.
Around an hour before her death Linda Clarke had walked out of Salford Royal Hospital.
CCTV captured Mrs Clarke walking along Albert Road in Eccles towards the motorway bridge.
Earle was walking the same when when he followed her, and spoke to her briefly as she sat on the edge of the bridge.
When she fell he made no effort to call the emergency services, the court heard.
Mrs Clarke’s husband Gary, 58, struggled to tell the court how the theft had affected the family, including how Linda’s funeral was delayed by Earle’s theft.
“I find it extremely difficult to find the right words to explain how devastated the loss of my wife Linda has impacted on the whole family.”
Sean Earle admitted stealing the bag, which included Mrs Clarke’s £350 iPhone, but denied having any part in causing her death.
Earle has now been bailed to reappear for a pre-sentence report on 17 July.
