A man has been jailed after he robbed a pregnant woman causing her to spend a night in hospital fearing for the health of her unborn child.
Leeds Crown Court heard Natasha Roberts, was 37 weeks pregnant when she was attacked by Liam Delsol last August.
Kate Bisset prosecuting said Miss Roberts was with her boyfriend Corey Whitehouse and her sister Leanne Skeffington returning from a takeaway in Huddersfield Road, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury.
It was about 10pm and because of her condition she was only carrying her sister’s purse while the other two had their food and drink, including four pizzas.
She heard someone running behind her and arms came round her back “resting on her bump” making her think it was someone she knew greeting her.
But when she turned she saw Delsol whom she did not know. He skipped to the side of her and tried to grab the purse from her hand but she would not let go.
Miss Bisset said the robber then brought his elbow down “hard on top of her bump, hurting her so much it caused her to fall to the floor on her hands and knees.”
It was only when she got up that she realised the purse had been taken. Her attacker also pushed her sister causing her to stumble and grabbed two of the pizza boxes from Mr Whitehouse before running off.
He gave chase but could not catch the robber. Because she was reporting pain in her stomach Miss Roberts was kept in hospital overnight for observation out of concern for the baby.
Miss Skeffington described the robber to other family members as wearing a distinctive red hoodie and another sister said she thought it might be Delsol who was known to wear such a top and he was subsequently arrested.
Cards from the stolen purse were later recovered from a recycling bin but the £85 cash taken was not returned.
Anastasis Tassou representing Delsol said he had been doing well following his last release from custody ending his drug addiction and getting a job.
But his past caught up with him that day when he met someone he owed an old drugs debt to and was put under pressure to pay it.
As a result of that he decided to commit a handbag snatch but it did not go to plan. He did not know the victim was pregnant because he approached her from behind and had not intended harm to her. “He knows it was a stupid offence.”
Delsol, 28 of Foxroyd Lane Estate, Thornhill, Dewsbury admitted both robberies and common assault and was jailed for 33 months.
Judge Robert Bartfield said he might not have known his victim was pregnant but that was the risk when a street robbery was carried out. Fortunately it did not appear to have had long term physical consequences for her or the child “although no doubt she was greatly upset by this.”
