An Aberdeen drug addict has dodged a prison sentence after beating and robbing a disabled man in his own home.
Ann-Marie Sutherland, 40, pounced on the 49-year-old victim as he returned to his flat with shopping.
Along with another woman, she knocked the man to the ground and robbed him of more than £200.
The attackers then fled the scene, leaving their vulnerable victim to pick himself up and contact the police.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the complainer was walking home around 3pm on July 11 last year when he saw a male and two females outside his block of flats on Lewis Road.
‘She’s now stopped using heroin’
The man ignored the group, which included Sutherland, and continued past them towards his door.
He entered the flat and put his shopping down, but before he had time to lock the door behind him he was ambushed.
Mr Townsend said: “All of a sudden he was struck by the door flying open, lost his footing and fell to the floor.”
As he lay trapped against a radiator, the man saw two females, one of which was Sutherland, enter his flat and stand over him.
Sutherland, calling the man by name, then shouted: “Far’s your f****** money?”
She then repeatedly punched the “distressed” man in the face.
The second female also struck him in the face as the man desperately tried to protect himself.
Sutherland then reached into his jeans pocket and grabbed cash totalling £210 before the group fled the scene.
Her victim was left with bruising and swelling to his right eye.
‘At that time, she was dependent on drugs’
Sutherland, of Hallfield Road, Aberdeen, pled guilty to a charge of assault to injury and robbery.
She also admitted stealing £143.80 of alcohol from Tesco at Arnhall Business Park, Westhill, on February 14 this year.
Defence agent Graham Morrison said: “The complainer has been a client of hers for the past 10 years.
“It was an arranged attendance at the flat by her for that purpose.”
Mr Morrison said: “The money she gets, she spends on drugs.
“At that time, she was dependent on drugs after her substance misuse escalated following a bereavement.
“She’s now stopped using heroin, which is what she says is the problem drug.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge ordered Sutherland to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 12 months of supervision as a direct alternative to custody.
She admonished her over the shoplifting offence.
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