A woman who tried to snatch the bag of an 83-year-old holidaymaker on the banks of the River Ness has been jailed for 15 months.
Gemma Robertson pretended to offer directions to her elderly victim and 80-year-old friend before lunging for the bag.
But the “intermittent” drug user was unsuccessful and had to flee after the plucky pensioners fought back and grabbed her by the hood and ponytail.
Robertson, 38, appeared via videolink from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of attempted robbery in relation to the incident on May 14 of this year.
Fiscal depute Emily Hood told the court that the elderly holidaymakers had just crossed the Greig Street Bridge onto Bank Street at around 8pm when they were approached by Robertson.
The fiscal depute said: “The accused has asked the witness: ‘Do you know where you are?’ as if to offer directions, before suddenly attempting to grab the witness’s bag, grabbing her skin in the process.”
The court was told the 83-year-old hung on to her bag and Robertson then attempted to flee, at which point her victim’s 80-year-old companion grabbed the hood of her jacket. The woman whose bag was being targeted then grabbed Robertson’s ponytail to prevent her escape.
Mugger claims pensioners assaulted her
Robertson, however, “wriggled” free and ran off over the bridge, leaving her coat behind.
A set of keys in the pocket of the garment had a fob bearing the would-be robber’s home address in the city’s Madras Street, where police later traced and arrested her.
The incident was also captured on CCTV.
During her police interview, Robertson initially denied trying to rob the elderly woman, instead claiming the pensioners had assaulted her after she “bumped into” her.
Solicitor Neil Wilson, for Robertson, told the court his client led a “chaotic lifestyle” marked by intermittent drug use and mental health difficulties.
He said on the day in question, Robertson had been without the heroin substitute methadone for two days having lost her prescription and was, in her own words, “rattling”.
He added: “She was in the company of a male who encouraged her to do what she did.”
‘Disgraceful’ daylight bag snatch attempt
Sheriff Robert Frazer told Robertson her behaviour had been “disgraceful” and said: “In broad daylight, you attempted to rob an 83-year-old pensioner while she was in the company of her 80-year-old friend.
“It is evident from what I have seen in the victim impact statement that this has had quite an effect on a person of that age.
“These people were on holiday, they expected to come to Inverness and go about their holiday in a peaceful fashion.”
Noting a previous conviction for assault and attempted robbery from 2009 as well as eight subsequent custodial sentences, Sheriff Frazer handed down a sentence of 12 months imprisonment.
He also ordered Robertson, whose address was given as a prisoner at HMP Grampian, to complete three remaining months of a previous sentence from which she had been released on licence, making a total sentence of 15 months.
