Dudley phone robber avoids jail (From Dudley News)

Dudley phone robber avoids jail

10:10am Thursday 14th February 2013 in News

A 24 YEAR-old Dudley man who felt "dreadful" after robbing a vulnerable woman of her mobile at the town's bus station has avoided spending time behind bars.

Judge John Wait told Phillip Hindmarsh: "You recognise the very real distress that you caused to a young lady on her way home from work.

"You had a mobile telephone but, in your drunken state, you robbed her of her phone. What you did caused a real change in her life."

He said the robbery meant his victim, Mary Poole, had to change her work shifts because she could no longer cope with going out at night.

Hindmarsh of New Street admitted robbery and was given a 12 month jail term suspended for two years and told he must obey a four month curfew between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

He was further ordered to pay £200 compensation to his victim for the loss of her telephone with a further £100 for the distress he had caused in the incident.

Mr Malcolm Fowler defending told the court: "He acknowledges the lasting effect on the victim and he says he feels dreadful about what he did."

Mr Paul Reid prosecuting said Hindmarsh asked Miss Poole if he could use her phone to send a text message, she said she would do it for him but he then leaned over and snatched it from her hand.

Mr Reid added: "She tried to hold on but he forced it from her using both hands. She then got up and tried to run after Hindmarsh but she fell over."

Hindmarsh who was identified from CCTV footage taken at the bus station told police officers after his arrest he had been taking drugs before the robbery.