SIDNEY — The man who robbed and dragged a woman through the Sidney Food Town parking lot in October was sentenced to eight years behind bars on Thursday.

Gene Patrick Agnew, 42, appeared in Shelby County Common Pleas Court to be sentenced on one count of aggravated robbery, a felony of the first-degree.

Agnew, while driving in his truck on Oct. 28, 2015, grabbed a 86-year-old woman’s purse in a grocery store parking lot, dragging her, causing serious physical harm.

It was made known during the sentencing by Shelby County Prosecutor Tim Sell, the woman is now receiving round-the-clock care as a result of the injuries she sustained during the incident. Sell said she used to be a vibrant part of the community, but has taken a downhill spiral.

“The defendant is a predator. He prays on the elderly. What he did was outrageous and terrible,” Sell said.

In court Thursday Agnew read a statement apologizing to the victim and her family, along with his own family. He said he prays for her forgiveness and said the actions he took are not who he truly is. “I allowed my need for drugs to consume my actions,” Agnew said.

His lawyer, Andrew Venters, said Agnew was cooperative with the authorities, and showed genuine remorse. Agnew didn’t mean to hurt the woman, he said.

Agnew is currently serving four years in prison on two counts of robbery out of Allen County Common Pleas Court, and will then afterwards serve 12 months on a charge of theft out of Auglaize County Common Pleas Court. His eight years from Shelby County will run consecutive to those; giving him 13 years in prison total. He will be incarcerated in the Allen Correctional Institution for his sentence. Upon his release he will have to serve a mandatory five years probation.