A STONEHOUSE woman who took part in robbing a couple in Gloucester Park has been jailed for two years and nine months.

Charmaine Coulson, 34, of Benton Court, Stonehouse, pleaded guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to robbery and to fraudulent use of a bank card she took from her victim.

David Scutt, prosecuting, said it was at about 3.45am on August 17, 2019 that the victims were walking through Gloucester Park when Coulson approached and asked the couple for food. The woman gave her the sandwich that she had been eating.

Mr Scutt said Coulson’s male companion then produced a claw hammer and demanded money from the man. He waved the hammer close to his face and said ‘Give me everything you’ve got or I’ll kill you.' The man got out his cash, a Samsung mobile phone and a bank card.

“Meanwhile, Coulson had grabbed the woman’s hair and began violently swinging her around. The victim was forced to hand over her purse, containing cash and bank cards."

Matthew Harbinson, for Coulson, said: “She is suffering from alcohol and substance misuse and was in an abusive relationship with this man.

"She was not mentally well enough to attend court for sentence at an earlier hearing but today she feels a lot better in herself, much more settled and much less agitated.”

Coulson pleaded guilty to robbery and the fraudulent use of a bank card belonging to the victim on August 17, 2019.

Judge Michael Cullum sentenced Coulson to a jail term of two years and nine months and ordered her to pay a victim surcharge.