A ROBBERY and theft has seen a man jailed and a woman spared ­— after the pair ambushed their victim under a Newport bridge.

Bailey Exposite, of Love Lane, Cowes, and Lily Nash, of Arnold Yard, Brading, appeared before the Isle of Wight Crown Court on Friday (July 30).

At a previous hearing on June 7, 21-year-old Exposite admitted attempted robbery and robbery, on April 24 and 25, 2021.

Nash, 20, admitted one count of theft, on April 25, and the pair saw their cases adjourned for sentencing.

Prosecutor, Matilda Robinson-Murphy, told the court on April 24, Bailey and Nash had been part of a group loitering under a bridge.

She said the victim had been walking from the direction of Hunnyhill toward Newport Bus Station when Exposite approached her, flanked by Nash.

The court heard the group began to ask the victim for her bag and money, and Exposite and Nash later tried to pull her around a corner.

Ms Robinson-Murphy said the whole ordeal lasted around ten minutes before a member of the public intervened, and at one stage, Exposite had threatened to smash the victim's phone if she didn't get off it.

Ms Robinson-Murphy said the following day, the victim had been with a friend and walking toward Newport Quay, while Exposite and Nash were located on a grassy bank.

She said Exposite ran toward them, fell down the bank, and at first attempted to apologise to the victim.

The court heard he approached the victim alongside Nash, and they were both in drink.

Ms Robinson-Murphy said Exposite then started demanding the victim give him her bag, before demanding money and pushing her to the floor.

She said Nash took the victim's bag, which had been emptied and dropped to the floor, while Exposite attempted to take the victim's phone but was unsuccessful.

Ms Robinson-Murphy said the victim was left with a swollen ankle and cuts to her knees and hands. A hospital visit revealed she'd torn a ligament in her foot.

The court heard both defendants were arrested a day later, on April 26, and the bag was retrieved from Nash's address.

Jonathan Underhill, for Exposite, referred the judge to a series of reports, and a letter from his client's mother, but conceded custody was inevitable.

He said Exposite's story was a familiar one, describing him as a young man in the grips and throws of substance abuse and addiction.

He said Exposite was keen to try and turn the page, and asked for his inevitable jail term to be as short as possible.

For Nash, a pre-sentence report was read out in court, detailing how she couldn't rationalise her behaviour and describing it as stupid.

She told probation she had been in a relationship with Exposite at the time, and the pair had taken Valium and been drinking.

Nicholas Cotter, defending, said Nash was a vulnerable young women with an unenviable criminal record, but she was beginning to confront her difficulties with alcohol.

Exposite was sentenced to three years in prison, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £190.

Nash was given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation days and a £128 victim surcharge.