Two Aberdeen women assaulted another lady in a homeless shelter by hitting her with her own trainers before stealing the footwear, her jacket and a bank card.
Nicola Ritchie, 40, and Gemma Wright, 23, searched, assaulted and robbed the woman during an unprovoked attack in the city’s homeless accommodation on West North Street.
They pinched the woman’s trainers and beat her with them before punching and kicking her then taking her jacket, the shoes and a bank card.
Their victim needed hospital treatment and her clothing, worth £240, wasn’t recovered, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Searched woman and stole trainers
Fiscal depute Brian Young said the brutal and unprovoked attack happened after the pair blocked their victim in the stairwell of the temporary housing facility on April 12, last year.
“They positioned themselves in a way that has prevented the complainer from walking away from them,” he said. “They asked her what she had on her. To which she replied ‘nothing’.
“Both then attempted to physically search her, checked the pockets of her jacket and made her remove her trainers.
“Ritchie at this time has bent down and removed the trainers from the woman’s feet and taken them.
“She then punched the complainer hard to the head.
“They then variously set about the woman and whilst she was bent forward Ritchie kicked her once on the head.”
Attack caught on CCTV
The court heard how the pair “shouted and screamed” at their victim as Ritchie kicked her on the head.
“Wright is seen on CCTV repeatedly swinging her arm towards the complainer and Ritchie has used the shoes and struck the woman on the head whilst holding them,” the fiscal added.
Security footage showed Wright taking off her coat before putting the stolen one on and covering it over with her own. Ritchie was still carrying the trainers.
Their victim suffered a bleeding nose and was later treated for swelling to her face at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Life was ‘spiralling out of control’
Ritchie’s defence agent Paul Burnett said his client was struggling with drug abuse at the time and her life had been “spiralling out of control” following her mum’s death.
He added she was keen to apologise to the woman involved and was now free of drugs.
“Looking back she wonders why it happened,” he added.
Wright, meanwhile, appeared from custody where she’s remanded for other matters.
Her solicitor David Sutherland asked for her sentencing to be deferred until next week.
Sheriff Andrew Millar handed Ritchie a one-year supervision order and 120 hours of unpaid work.
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