Man tried to grab gold chain off woman’s neck

A SUPERMARKET shelf stacker was mugged while taking a cigarette break.

Bristol Crown Court heard 45-year-old Tanya Thame was outside Asda in Bedminster at midnight when drunken Graham Rose walked up to her and shouted “What have you got to offer!” before grabbing at her gold necklace.

A petrified Mrs Thame handed over her cigarettes but, after being told off by his friend, Rose returned them to her, the court was told.

She was able to help police track him down, and he initially told officers she had lost her temper when he asked her for a smoke.

Rose, 33, of Selworthy Road, Knowle, pleaded guilty to robbery in July.

The recorder Mr John Jarvis QC handed him a 12-month jail term, suspended for two years.

He told Rose: “It was at night, you were drunk and a degree of violence was used.

“It is a serious matter and a custodial sentence is without doubt called for.

“Peculiar circumstances mean I can take a lenient course.”

Rose was told to undergo a substance-related offending programme and abide by a three-month curfew, on electronic tag, in which he must stay at home from 7pm to 7am.

Richard Posner, prosecuting, said Rose was extremely drunk and aggressive when he approached Mrs Thame and she was extremely frightened.

He told the court: “Another man asked him what an earth he thought he was doing.

“Mr Rose demanded her gold and he tried to grab the gold chain off her neck.

“She screamed and he put his hand over her mouth to stop her.

“He pushed her head back, causing it to strike against the wall, and the second man intervened. He pulled the defendant away and Mrs Thame held out her cigarettes, which was all she had. He took them before being led away by his friend. He was very clearly chastised by his friend and he returned to give them back, saying he didn’t want them anyway.”

The court heard Mrs Thame raised the alarm in the store, police were called and she helped them find the robber in a shop doorway.

Though he was initially aggressive and denied the robbery, he then acknowledged he was so drunk he couldn’t dispute his victim’s account.

Rose admitted he was in breach of a conditional discharge, imposed in November 2009, for being drunk and disorderly.

Julie Phillips, defending, said her client had demonstrated “remorse and sorrow” for his actions.

She said that, at the time, Rose was staying in a Bristol dry house to address alcohol addiction, but relapsed after his long-term partner committed suicide by overdosing and after being told his mother didn’t have long to live.

Ms Phillips said Rose was currently engaging in a help programme and was under a hospital specialist due to the severe damage drink had done to his body.