Two violent thieves who chased and attacked a pregnant woman during a street robbery in Sunderland have been jailed. Justin Cairns and Barry Solomon targeted the woman as she walked home, after being thwarted in an earlier attempt to rob a bus driver.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the woman was racially abused and punched during the attack. She was left fearing for her unborn child but was helped by passers-by who chased the robbers and detained them until police arrived.
Attack on Roker Avenue
The court heard the woman was on Roker Avenue, Sunderland, around 6.50pm on August 2 this year. As she headed home, she heard Solomon say a highly offensive racist term to her, leaving her shocked and scared.
He then grabbed at her phone, but she kept a tight grip on it. She ran away but was chased by Solomon and Cairns. She reached her front gate, but the pair caught up with her. Cairns tried to wrench her backpack from her, and Solomon tried to wrestle her phone away.
Solomon punched her to the ribs and grabbed at the area of her right breast to try to pull her phone away. They eventually made off with her bag and phone.
Passers-by intervene
She screamed and ran after them, and passers-by also gave chase. One man caught up with Cairns and put his hand on his chest, using his other hand to take the bag back. He was punched in the mouth by Cairns, causing a cut and sore lip.
Other people had detained Solomon, and police arrived to arrest them. The stolen items were returned to the woman, although her phone case had been damaged.
In a victim impact statement, she said: "The assault and robbery has affected me severely. I find it extremely difficult to sleep now and I always feel like someone is coming after me."
"I've developed bad anxiety since the attack. I never want to be alone now and fear leaving the house. I'm no longer comfortable in the area and continue to be scared."
"I was worried about the health of my baby immediately afterwards. Fortunately my pregnancy appears to be unaffected but I'm concerned about the downturn in my mental health affecting my baby in some way."
Earlier attempted robbery
Around half an hour earlier, a bus driver had been on a break in his car near his depot in Sunderland when his attention was drawn to Cairns and Solomon. He saw Solomon approach a car parked in front of his and try the door handle unsuccessfully.
He then approached the bus driver's car, appearing intoxicated, and told him to get out after opening the door. The victim stood his ground and said "what the hell is wrong with you two".
Solomon was aggressive and threatening and "got in his face", so the victim pushed him back. Fearing he would be assaulted, the victim landed a number of pre-emptive jabs, and the two men took swings at each other.
The man was then struck twice to the back of the head by Cairns, who got in the car before getting out and running away. Solomon, who continued shouting threats, then kicked the side of the car, leaving a large dent.
Sentencing
Cairns, who has a previous conviction for possessing drugs, and Solomon, whose previous convictions include robbery when he was 17, both pleaded guilty to attempted robbery of the bus driver and robbery of the pregnant woman. Cairns also admitted assault by beating on the passer-by, and Solomon admitted possessing class B and C drugs.
Cairns, 26, of no fixed address, was jailed for three-and-a-half years, and Solomon, 21, of Rhodesia Road, Sunderland, got four-and-a-half years.
Liam O'Brien, for Cairns, said he has struggled for a long time with his mental health and drug and alcohol abuse. He added that he had a difficult childhood and turned to drugs and alcohol so he didn't have to think about "how awful everything was".
Mr O'Brien said: "He found himself in a highly intoxicated state committing these nasty offences which resulted in no real gain to himself."
Sophie Allinson-Howells, for Solomon, said he also had a troubled childhood, has a learning disability, and she added: "He is disgusted in himself and his shame is genuine."
