A young mother who mugged a 79-year-old woman on her way home from church was jailed for three years yesterday.
Mollie Robinson “deliberately targeted” Lena Clarke, following her as she walked along a quiet residential street in Inverness.
She hit Ms Clarke with a metal pole, and then stole her handbag. Her victim was left covered in blood – but CCTV and several witnesses saw Robinson’s brutal and callous attack in Telford Avenue, and Robinson was arrested within minutes.
Police hail conviction of young mother who struck woman, 79, with metal pole then robbed her
Jailing her at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday, Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told the 22-year-old: “You quite deliberately targeted a 79-year-old lady, late at night on her way home to satisfy your need for drugs.”
Fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart told the court that Ms Clarke attended a Kirk session in the city’s Crown Church before walking home on January 25.
“As Ms Clarke made her way onto Telford Avenue, at about 9.45pm, she heard footsteps behind her. She then felt a sharp blow to the top of her head with a weapon.
“Ms Clarke described the weapon as being a long implement, hard in structure and ‘like a truncheon’.”
He added that the victim let out a scream and felt the handbag she was clutching in her hand torn from her grasp as she fell on the ground.
Police hail conviction of young mother who struck woman, 79, with metal pole then robbed her
The attack was seen by Megan Calder in her home directly opposite Telford Avenue. Her partner William Porter gave chase while Ms Calder phoned the police.
Mr Porter eventually caught up with Robinson, originally from Aviemore but living in Inverness at the time of the attack, at the Benula Road block of flats rifling through the handbag behind a set of large stack bins.
Mr Urquhart went on: “He challenged the person stating that the bag “did not belong to them” and advised the person to “leave the bag”. Robinson dropped it and then walked away.”
Robinson, yeseterday described as a prisoner in Inverness, later told police: “I’ve done something really bad.”
Ms Clarke needed three staples for her wound.
Defence solicitor Willie Young said his client, who admitted assault to serious injury and robbing Ms Clarke, had shown “a great deal of remorse.”
He said she had struggled for years with drug addiction, was “homeless and in a downward spiral at the time of the offence”.
“I
Police hail conviction of young mother who struck woman, 79, with metal pole then robbed her
Jailing her at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday, Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told the 22-year-old: “You quite deliberately targeted a 79-year-old lady, late at night on her way home to satisfy your need for drugs.”
Fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart told the court that Ms Clarke attended a Kirk session in the city’s Crown Church before walking home on January 25.
“As Ms Clarke made her way onto Telford Avenue, at about 9.45pm, she heard footsteps behind her. She then felt a sharp blow to the top of her head with a weapon.
“Ms Clarke described the weapon as being a long implement, hard in structure and ‘like a truncheon’.”
He added that the victim let out a scream and felt the handbag she was clutching in her hand torn from her grasp as she fell on the ground.
Police hail conviction of young mother who struck woman, 79, with metal pole then robbed her
The attack was seen by Megan Calder in her home directly opposite Telford Avenue. Her partner William Porter gave chase while Ms Calder phoned the police.
Mr Porter eventually caught up with Robinson, originally from Aviemore but living in Inverness at the time of the attack, at the Benula Road block of flats rifling through the handbag behind a set of large stack bins.
Mr Urquhart went on: “He challenged the person stating that the bag “did not belong to them” and advised the person to “leave the bag”. Robinson dropped it and then walked away.”
Robinson, yeseterday described as a prisoner in Inverness, later told police: “I’ve done something really bad.”
Ms Clarke needed three staples for her wound.
Defence solicitor Willie Young said his client, who admitted assault to serious injury and robbing Ms Clarke, had shown “a great deal of remorse.”
He said she had struggled for years with drug addiction, was “homeless and in a downward spiral at the time of the offence”.
“It is accepted that the incident was an appalling act. She was heavily under the influence of drugs and has little recollection.”
