A MIDDLE-AGED man who robbed a woman of her phone in broad daylight has been warned he could be facing jail.

Robert Paling grabbed the handset from Hayley Nutland during the incident on the afternoon of December 6 last year.

The 49-year-old, of Sheep Street, Devizes, pleaded guilty to robbery when he appeared at Swindon Crown Court.

The incident, which took place in front of shoppers at just after 3.15pm, was caught on the town's CCTV.

The court heard Paling and 29-year-old Miss Nutland were first seen grappling with each other on the pavement close to the Razor King barber's shop on Sidmouth Street.

She then crossed the road and is seen underneath the awning of Rose's butchers when her attacker approaches again.

As she wa using her phone to call the police he stormed up and snatched it from her before fleeing on to Gains Lane.

Judge Tim Mousley QC adjourned the case to June 5 and released him on bail, not to have contact with his victim.

He told him "You pleaded guilty to a serious matter which is very likely to result in an immediate custodial sentence.

"You are not being sentenced today. The reason for that is so a pre-sentence report can be prepared."