A scheming couple set up a friend who was viciously robbed at a cash machine and left blinded in one eye, a court has heard.
Junior Johnson and Karla Docherty tipped off a third party that Russell Pipe would be collecting hundreds of pounds in benefits money for himself and Docherty’s mother from an ATM. Mr Pipe was subsequently brutally assaulted in Newport’s Marshfield Street during the early hours of February 12 last year after withdrawing £500 in cash.
Prosecutor Joshua Scouller told Newport Crown Court that an "arrangement" had been reached between the defendants and a third party to steal money from Mr Pipe and that, during the course of the theft, "quite significant injury" was caused to their victim though that was not something attributable to the defendants.
Read more: Get the latest court cases sent to your email inbox with our Crime & Punishment newsletter
In a victim impact statement, which was read to the court, Mr Pipe said his life had been "turned upside down" and he now felt nervous and anxious about leaving his house.
Junior Johnson, aged 41, and 37-year-old Karla Docherty, both of Mansel Street, Newport, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal when they appeared in the dock for sentencing. Co-defendant Perrie Williams, aged 37, of Corporation Road, Newport, had previously been found not guilty of robbery after a trial. The court heard the couple, who had four children, were drug users at the time of the incident. They both have previous convictions for shoplifting.
Judge Hywel James told the couple he had no doubt that part of their motivation had been drug use which, at that time, had played a "significant role" in their lives. With 15 per cent discounts for their guilty pleas each defendant was sentenced to 13 months in prison. Due to the time the defendants have spent on remand, the sentences have effectively been time-served which means they will be released from custody imminently.
READ NEXT:
Man who preyed on children on Instagram 'cannot stop' sexual interest in girls
Former Foreign Legion soldier launched 'cowardly' attack in busy shopping street
Driver's 'momentary lapse of concentration' at roundabout caused death of much-loved biker
Asylum seeker threatened to burn himself alive in his Swansea bedsit
You can sign up to our regular Crime and Punishment newsletter here while this interactive tool allows you to check the latest crime statistics for your area:
