Addict's fare grab attempt fought off

A woman fought off a would-be mugger who tried to take her bus fare money at a Staffordshire bus station, a judge heard.

Jasmine Yates struggled with drug addict Jessica Davis as she tried to rip £5 from her hand.

Mr David Rouse, prosecuting, said a friend of Davis's tried, unsuccessfully, to pull her away. She continued to grapple with the intended victim but Miss Yates held on to her money and was punched on the back of the head by Davis as she walked off empty-handed at Rugeley bus station.

Stafford Crown Court heard the robbery attempt was one of a catalogue of offences committed by Davis, most while on bail.

Davis, aged 20, of Uttoxeter Road, Handsacre, admitted attempted robbery, two counts of theft and one of being carried in a vehicle taken without consent and possessing cannabis.

Mr Rouse said it happened on July 24, as Davis was on bail for stealing a purse containing £95 from a house in the Rugeley area on May 22.

She stole a bottle of vodka from a shop on October 26 and, three days later, she was arrested as a passenger in a car, stolen from Rugeley, on the M40 motorway.

On that occasion she handed four packets of cannabis to police.

Judge John Maxwell gave her a nine month jail sentence suspended for two years, coupled with a drug rehabilitation order.

He told her: "This is an absolute catalogue of offending. I note that your life has been in total chaos. You have been drinking too much, you have been taking drugs.

"I know you have no employment and are not able to pay compensation quickly, but you are not getting away with it."

He ordered Davis to pay Miss Yates £100 compensation and £35 to the owner of the purse. Mr Stephen Bailey, for Davis, said she had served the equivalent of more than three months in prison on remand.