A man who followed a woman home from the pub before shoving her over and stealing her handbag has been jailed.
Shaun Baker, 36, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted assaulting the woman on her doorstep and robbing her.
As the woman got up and picked up her front door key and placed it in the lock, Baker returned and struck her again.
As Baker left the building, the woman was found lying on the floor of the communal landing by a neighbour.
A sheriff told Baker that, due to his previous record of violence and robbery, there was no alternative but to send him to prison.
Robber came back
Fiscal depute Jennifer Pritchard told the court that on the evening of November 6 2021, the woman had gone to the Northern Bar in Aberdeen to meet a friend for drinks.
At around midnight, the woman had made her way home to her flat on George Street and was just about to place her key in the door to the building when she was suddenly pushed from behind, causing her to fall to the ground.
As she was on the ground, she could feel someone pulling at the strap of her handbag with such force that the strap snapped.
While still on the ground, the woman turned to see a man running off down George Street with her handbag in his possession.
The woman then managed to find her door key, which she had dropped, and entered the building to her communal landing.
As she stood in front of her door, she was again shoved to the ground with force and fell to the ground.
She couldn’t see the perpetrator, but a neighbour who’d heard a disturbance saw a man running from the building.
When the neighbour looked out, she saw the victim lying on the ground of communal landing.
As she helped the woman up, she informed her that her handbag had been snatched and the police were contacted.
Thief used victim’s bank card
Ms Pritchard said: “About 90 minutes later the woman made contact with her bank to cancel both of her bank cards.
“She was advised by the bank that at 01.54 am on November 7 2021, a transaction for £31.47 had been made at Premier Store, Union Street, Aberdeen.
“A second transaction was attempted to be made at 01.59am at the same shop but this was cancelled by the bank.
“Police CCTV investigations later showed the accused walking back and forth near the complainer’s address between 00.06am and 00.09am on November 7 2021.
“At 00.13am the accused is then seen to run away across George Street in the direction of Spring Gardens, Aberdeen before being lost to view.”
In the dock, Baker, who is originally from Liverpool, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault and robbery.
‘No alternative’ to prison
Defence solicitor Christopher Maitland that his client had a “significant record” and had committed this offence amid the backdrop of drug abuse.
“He apologises for what happendd as it must have been a terrifying incident for the complainer,” he said.
“It is clear that, due to his record, the court has been left with no option but a custodial sentence.
“Mr Baker knows that’s the case and accepts responsibility.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller described Baker’s actions as a “serious crime of assault and robbery”.
“Thankfully, the victim of this crime did not suffer injury,” he said.
“You have a number of offences for crimes of violence and robbery, both here and in England – you were also sentenced to four years in prison for robbery.
“I’m satisfied that there is no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Sheriff Miller jailed Baker, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, for 21 months, backdated to September 29 last year.
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