Drug addict jailed over attempted cashpoint robbery

She had gone to the Asda store in Thrum Hall, Halifax, with her year-old daughter in a pushchair when the attack happened in broad daylight.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday how CCTV footage caught heroin and cocaine addict, Wayne Martin, hanging about near the cash machine.

Prosecutor, Bashir Ahmed, said the mother had withdrawn £300 when the 27-year-old grabbed her arm and they fell to the ground.

Mr Ahmed said Martin demanded her money but the woman bit his hand and he eventually ran off. The court also heard that the 30-second incident in May left the victim feeling frightened.

In a victim impact statement the mother said she felt really angry that Martin had attacked her in front of her baby girl in broad daylight.

Martin, then living in Hanson Lane, Pellon, Halifax, admitted a charge of attempted robbery. He told police he committed the offence to get money to feed his drug habit.

At the time Martin was subject to a community order and he was also on bail for an assault on his then girlfriend.

Judge David Hatton QC jailed Martin for 16 months for the attempted robbery with a further four months for the assault on his girlfriend.

In addition the judge revoked his previous community order and added a further one-month in prison.