Woman on Legal Highs Jailed for Mugging Vulnerable Girl
A callous thief who blamed legal highs after mugging a girl with learning disabilities at a cash machine's been jailed for 21 months.
A callous thief who blamed legal highs after mugging a girl with learning disabilities at a cash machine's been jailed for 21 months.
Drug addict Susan McElwee, 33, left her vulnerable victim with injuries after trying to grapple money from her hand in broad daylight.
The girl was taken to hospital with wrist injuries after bravely trying to fight off McElwee who targeted her after seeing her taking money from the machine in Perth.
McElwee, from Perth, admitted assaulting her victim by struggling violently and trying to steal money from her in South Street, Perth, on 26 July this year.
Fiscal depute Gavin Letford told Perth Sheriff Court: "The girl was withdrawing cash from the machine at her mother's request. One hundred pounds was withdrawn from her mother's account.
"She had the money in her hand. The accused demanded money from her and started swearing at her. The accused stated she would take all the money.
"She grabbed her by the arm and a violent struggle ensued. The accused was pulling the victim's arm. Another person came to the use the machine and this caused the accused to walk off.
"The complainer described herself as frightened and shaken by the whole thing and had an injury to her wrist. It was badly sprained. The incident was partly captured by CCTV."
McElwee was identified and told officers who interviewed her: "I only asked the lassie for a tenner and she wouldn't give us it."
Mr Letford told the court that the victim - who was known in passing to McElwee - suffered from a degree of learning difficulties and was vulnerable.
Solicitor John McLaughlin, defending, said: "She leads a fairly chaotic lifestyle. She left prison and had no methadone prescription and started using legal highs.
"She had taken legal highs on this day. She fully accepts it was inappropriate behaviour and very frightening for the young girl involved. She should never have become involved to start with."
Sheriff Fiona Tait said: "This offence involved a vulnerable young adult and you have a schedule of previous convictions, including a directly analogous conviction."