A 19-year-old Swindon woman was convicted yesterday of taking part in the gunpoint robbery of a vulnerable Cirencester teenager who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome.

But a second young woman facing the same charge at Gloucester Crown Court was acquitted by a jury of seven women and five men after a four day trial.

Judge William Hart discharged innocent Kerry Craig, 18, of Poplar Ave, Pinehurst, Swindon, after granting her a defendant's costs order. He bailed the convicted defendant, 19-year-old Amelia Newton of Reidspeace, Purton, near Swindon, for a pre-sentence report but warned her she is facing jail.

Both women had denied joining Ryan Murray, 19, of Springfield Road, Cirencester, in robbing 18-year-old Wesley Parsons of £350 on Jan 2 this year.

Murray, who has pleaded guilty to the robbery and is awaiting sentence, had accused Wesley of stealing his iPad and had then pulled a BB gun on him, firing it into the air to frighten him, the jury was told.

Ms Craig and Newton were alleged to have supported Murray in 'bullying' Wesley and making him go to a Lloyds Bank branch in Cirencester where he withdrew £350 and handed it over.

When Wesley left he immediately reported the robbery to police and the three defendants were arrested.

The two girls both accepted they were present during the robbery but said they had not played any active part in it and it was all Murray;s responsibility.

Julian Kesner, prosecuting, said Wesley's ordeal began when the defendants met up with him at a Cirencester garage where he took his motorbike to be repaired after it was allegedly pushed over and damaged by Murray.

He was made to go with the defendants into the Abbey Grounds where Murry produced and fired the gun, Mr Kesner said.

Ms Craig, a student at Swindon College, said she felt forced to go along with what was happening because she had just got engaged to Murray - although she has broken off her relationship with him since the offence.

"Ryan shouted at Wesley that he had stolen his iPad tablet and wanted it back," she said. "I turned away because it was between the two of them. Then I heard Amelia say 'You can do it the easy way or you can do it the hard way. The easy way is to go to the bank and get the money out. The hard way is that our Traveller friends will sort it out.'"

Ms Craig said Wesley replied that he would get the money for them. They went to cashpoint machines at Tesco's and Boots but his withdrawal was refused so they then went to Lloyds Bajnk.

She said that far from being involved in the robbery she was trying to dissuade Wesley from handing over the money.

"I was whispering to him telling him not to do it," she said. "He looked very frightened and scared. "

When they got to the bank Wesley went in with Murray and Ms Newton but she remained outside, she said.

"Before that I told Wesley not to be stupid," she told the court. "After getting the money from the cashier Wesley handed it over to them. He then left. Before he went Amelia told him 'Little boys shouldn't play with fire.'"

After the jury verdicts Judge William Hart bailed Newton for a pre-sentence report. He said she would be sentenced with Murray on a date to be fixed.

He told Newton "You should be aware you are very likely to receive a custodial sentence on the next occasion."

To the jury the judge said "I would have come to exactly the same conclusions that you did."