Mother hears her daughter being attacked and robbed over the phone

The 32-year-old had been chatting on her mobile as she made her way from George Street to Rutland Square when 27-year old Brian Auchterlonie suddenly attacked.

Today Auchterlonie, a prisoner in Saughton, was jailed for 40 months.

Fiscal Depute, Gerard Drugan, had told Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC: “She had two bags over her shoulder. She glanced behind her and saw a man approaching her. He demanded: “Give me the bags”, there was a struggle and he repeatedly struck her on the face and head.”

The victim tried to defend herself, said Mr Drugan, with Auchterlonie demanding she hand over her bags. She managed to get her purse and handed it to Auchterlonie to stop the attacks. He grabbed it and ran off.

The Fiscal said the attack lasted only 80 seconds and all that time the victim’s mobile was still active and her mother heard her crying: “Mum, mum, I’m being mugged”. The woman, who was covered in blood, was treated at the city’s Royal Infirmary.

Police examined CCTV footage and saw Auchterlonie hiding as his victim walked past, running after her, carrying out the attack and running away. He had also dropped his pen which provided DNA evidence.

Defence solicitor, Steve Donald, told Sheriff Welsh that his client had no recollection of the incident. Auchterlonie, he said, was currently subject to a Supervised Release Order. Mr Donald added: “It is not my intention to ask your Lordship to deal with this other than by custody”.

Sheriff Welsh commented that in the recent past Auchterlonie had committed four assault and robbery and assault to injury offences.