Woman in court for assaulting robber (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Woman in court for assaulting robber

12:19pm Wednesday 28th November 2007 in Swindon By Gazette Reporter

A woman has pleaded guilty to assaulting a 15-year-old girl shortly before she was robbed.

Nicola Holmes pulled the youngster's hair before Lee Bennett robbed her of an mp3 player and mobile phone in April.

And teenage mum Hayley Grouvel has also pleaded guilty to handling the items stolen in the robbery.

Holmes, 21, Grouvel, 18, and Bennett, 23, had all been charged with robbery but while he admitted the offence the two women pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

Before the case came to trial Holmes, of Seagry Court, Penhill, pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and Grouvel, formerly from Toothill but now of Newland Road, Withywood, Bristol, admitted handling.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court there had been two distinct incidents on Friday April 13.

She said at first two women were pulling the girl's hair and one of them, Holmes, was girl one' in the victim's account.

"The character of the incident changes when Mr Bennett appears and effectively asks for items from the complainant," she said.

The court was told the victim was unclear as to what girl three' had done in the incident saying at one point she was involved and another she was not.

However when Grouvel was arrested soon after the stolen property was found next to her, the court heard.

Rob Ross, for Holmes and Grouvel, who has recently given birth, asked for pre-sentence reports to be compiled on both of his clients before they are sentenced.

Lee Bennett, of Stonesfield Close, Toothill, pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared before a judge in August and has been remanded in custody ever since.

A third woman, Victoria Lamb, 20, of Holbein Close, Grange Park, has pleaded not guilty to robbery and is to face trial by jury on Monday December 17.