Man robbed and attacked girlfriend

A man assaulted his girlfriend outside their flat and made off with her handbag.

Les Strang protested when police arrested him for the robbery, saying “she only got a couple of cuts and bruises”.

Strang, 33, was jailed for 14 months when he appeared from custody via videolink at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

The Motherwell man assaulted and robbed the woman in the foyer of Brandon Court on February 21.

Louise Beattie, prosecuting, said Strang pulled his victim by the hair, put her in a headlock and shoved her, causing to slide down the wall to the floor.

She covered her face as her boyfriend rummaged through her bag and went through her pockets.

The fiscal told the court: “The woman was crying and pushed the accused away, but he dragged her along the floor.

“She kicked out at him and he lifted her then dropped her on the ground.

“By then Strang had her wallet and bank card and she tried to take them back, but he pushed, kicked and tripped her, causing her to fall again.

“He then rummaged through a plastic bag, pushed his victim through the lift door, took her handbag and left.”

Strang’s girlfriend did not report the incident, but it came to light when the CCTV footage was reviewed.

Defence agent Elspeth Forrest said the couple had been together for only three months at the time of the assault.

She stated: “On the day in question they had both taken a significant amount of street valium.

“They had been out during the day. When they returned he was of the opinion that the woman had his bank card.

“That’s why he got involved in this. He says she refused to give the card to him.

“But that is no excuse for what he did. He is horrified and ashamed that he assaulted her in that way.”

Strang’s record includes a conviction in 2017 for assault involving a weapon.

Sheriff Douglas Brown told him: “Given the serious nature of the offence and your record, an appropriate sentence is 18 months.

“But I’ll reduce that to 14 months because of your guilty plea. It will be backdated to February 24 due to the time already spent in custody.”