Shropshire Star

College drop-out jailed after mugging woman at cashpoint

A drug addict former college student who dropped out of a hairdressing course mugged a woman at a cashpoint, a court heard.

Published

Amy Louise Samuel, 28, from Oswestry but of no fixed address, had snatched cash from a woman of 60 after “deliberately targeting a vulnerable victim,” the prosecution said at Llandudno magistrates’ court.

Jacqueline Sutcliffe, who had been withdrawing £50 at Pensarn, Abergele, when Samuel grabbed her money in her hand, was pulled with such force it appeared she was going to fall. The money had been torn.

However, Samuel was charged merely with theft on June 14 after the victim’s upsetting ordeal in broad daylight. She pleaded guilty to the offence and common assault on Pc Peter Doran an emergency worker.

She was jailed for 26 weeks in total and the magistrates ordered that she pay £100 compensation to the Pc on her release.

James Neary, prosecuting, said the policeman was passing a Co-op store when he noticed witnesses shouting to him. A man said Samuel had just mugged the victim.

Samuel had struggled with the officer and remarked: ”I have got a pin, I will stab you.”

Defence solicitor Carla Forfar insisted there wasn’t particular targeting of the victim and Samuel wanted to break the cycle of drug use