A robber stole £60 from a man walking back from a cash machine after he and a woman became involved in a scuffle with him. They robbed the man after he refused to hand his money over.
James Campbell, 32, and an accomplice approached Stuart Hornsbury shortly after midnight in Cardiff on September 5 last year. They asked the victim to borrow £10 but he refused. They then approached him a second time after he had been to the cash machine.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday heard the accomplice grabbed Mr Hornsbury by the wrist and told Campbell to go into his pockets and take the money. The victim tried to resist and there was a struggle between him and the woman and she fell to the floor, which led to Campbell accusing him of hurting her.
Read more: Get the latest court cases sent to your email inbox with our Crime & Punishment newsletter
The woman got back to her feet and the scuffle continued and she grabbed Mr Hornsbury by the neck and he felt a scratch. She held him up against railings when Campbell went into the victim's coat pocket and took £60 in cash. Both defendants then left the scene.
Mr Hornsbury called the police who took swabs from his jacket and Campbell was apprehended after being arrested in relation to another matter. He was later identified by the victim.
Campbell, of no fixed abode, later pleaded guilty to robbery. The court heard he had 17 previous convictions including robbery, attempted robbery and battery. His accomplice failed to attend the court hearing and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.
In mitigation, the court was told Campbell was working hard in prison as a wing cleaner. Defence barrister Alex Greenwood described the robbery as "opportunistic" in which his client played a limited function.
Sentencing, Recorder Andrew Hammond said: "You yourself were using physical aggression and force by holding the victim's wrists and arms for a relatively long period of time before you placed your hand in his pocket and withdrew the £60. You have what has been described as entrenched pro-criminal views and you have a troubled background with a history of class A drugs but in prison you are trying to address and improve that position."
Campbell was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment. He will serve half the sentence in custody before he is released on licence to serve the remainder.
READ NEXT:
Restaurant owner 'gobsmacked' after employee who stole £150,000 doesn't get sent to prison
-
Murder accused told police he found partner in bed 'dead and cold'
-
Pair who made £130,000 dealing cocaine and spent it on clothes and shoes ordered to pay back just £1,300 between them
-
'Depraved' man drew thousands of pictures of babies being raped and children being sexually abused
- Couple found with up to £1,500 worth of cocaine while driving
You can sign up to our regular Crime and Punishment newsletter here while this interactive tool allows you to check the latest crime statistics for your area:
