A heroin addict who tried to rob a woman less than an hour after being released from custody is back behind bars.
Sonya MacDonald carried out the attack under the noses of police officers and was swiftly apprehended.
At the time of the offence on December 22, she had only just been released from the cells at Perth Sheriff Court, where she had appeared from custody on three charges of bag snatching.
Following her arrest for the attempted robbery, Sheriff William Wood remanded her in custody over the festive period.
Depute fiscal Stuart Richardson told the court on Wednesday: “The complainer was in Perth city centre at around 1.45pm when she decided she would make use of a cash machine situated near the entrance to a shopping centre.
“When she was in the process of using said cash machine, and was actually standing with the money in her hand, she felt the accused jump on her back, trying to snatch the money, and pull her to the ground.
“Luckily there were two police officers patrolling the scene and they chased MacDonald and caught her.”
Defence solicitor Lee Qumsieh said MacDonald suffered from addiction and personal problems and the attack was carried out on the spur of the moment.
He said she had “spiralled out of control” after her baby was taken into care but she managed to “detox” in prison.
He added that MacDonald was remorseful for her actions.
MacDonald, of Sauchie Place, Crieff, had earlier admitted assaulting and attempting to rob Catherine Newton by jumping on her back, seizing her round the neck and attempting to throw her to the ground in a bid to seize money from her on Perth’s High Street, in breach of a bail order granted that day at the city’s sheriff court.
She also admitted stealing handbags at the St John’s Centre on December 14 and 17, and at South Street, Perth, on December 19.
Jailing her for five months, Sheriff Wood told MacDonald: “When I saw you on December 22, the information I was given then as that you had problems, which you were seeking to address.
“It never crossed my mind you would address these problems by attempting to rob a woman using a cash machine.”