WOMAN BEATEN FOR HER MOBILE PHONE

Mum jumped in the street

A hooded thug battered a Wishaw mum and stole her phone in the town’s Main Street.

Mum- of- three Karen Hooper was punched in the face by the lout who then made off with her Samsung Galaxy S9.

Karen, 34, had been shopping at Aldi on Glasgow Road and was walking home along Main Street at around 7.45pm on Monday, November 5, when she was attacked by the man.

Shaken-up Karen, of Tinto Crescent, said: “It all happened so fast. I was so scared. The force of the punch really hurt me. My face has been

in agony ever since. I feel so vulnerable and don’t want to be on my own at the moment.”

She sustained a swollen jaw, bruising and redness on her cheek and a black eye.

Part-time sales assistant Karen was on the phone to her 13-year-old son seconds before she was attacked.

She explained: “I was walking home and had phoned my son to say I would be about 15 minutes. Just as I went to hang up the phone I felt a thud on my face. I think he approached me from the front, but I’m not 100 per cent sure because I was too busy talking on the phone to notice anyone around.

“He punched me with some force on my jaw and knocked my glasses which then banged me between my eyes. He then grabbed my phone and ran off towards the bottom of the main street.”

The suspect is described as 5ft 10, medium build, wearing dark clothing and had his hood up during the attack.

Karen added: “I was absolutely terrified and so shaken-up. I ran into an Indian takeaway shop and asked someone to help me but they refused. They didn’t even offer me a seat or to use their phone. They just basically looked at me like they wanted me to leave.

“I was hysterical and felt so vulnerable. As he had took my phone I couldn’t call the police or my husband.”

Karen then ran to Wishaw Police Station to report the crime and was able to get in touch with her family.