Leeds street robber locked up for helping woman take man's wallet and bank cards as he walked home from pub

Lance Mace and Joanne Briscoe targeted the victim as he walked through the Holbeck area of the Leeds after spending the evening drinking in Leeds city centre.

Leeds Crown Court heard the man had been drinking in Beckett's Bank pub and his route home took him through Holbeck.

Robert Galley, prosecuting, said the victim walked along St Matthew's Street and he was "propositioned" by Briscoe when he reached the junction with Domestic Street.

The prosecutor said: "The complainant said he was not interested. He then heard her shout a name".

Mace then emerged from a graveyard and apprehended the complainant, accusing him of assaulting Briscoe.

Mr Galley said: "The complainant said he did not know what Mace was talking about".

Mace told the victim that he was going to call the police and the victim said that the defendant should do that.

Mr Galley said Mace and Briscoe then grabbed the victim and took his wallet and mobile phone from his jacket.

The pair were caught on camera using the bank card a short tine later at petrol stations on Dewsbury Road.

Both defendants were seen buying items worth £36 at a Jet garage.

Briscoe was seen buying goods worth £37 from a Shell garage.

Police officers recognised them both after seeing the images.

Mace, 33, of Aberfield Drive, Belle Isle, pleaded guilty to robbery and fraud.

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Briscoe, 40, also of Aberfield Drive, Belle Isle, pleaded guilty to robbery and two counts of fraud.

Mace has served a prison sentence for a robbery in 2018 in which he assaulted a man in Leeds city centre.

He was the subject of a suspended sentence at the time of his latest offence.

Briscoe has previous convictions for shoplifting.

The victim provided a statement to the court describing how he had felt "shaken up" after the robbery and it had left him fearful of going out.

Tom Jackson, mitigating for Mace, said the defendant pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage.

Robin Frieze, for Briscoe, said she had spent eight months in prison since being arrested.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC jailed Mace for 27 months.

Briscoe was given a two-year community order. She was also ordered to complete 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days.