A BASINGSTOKE man has been jailed for knocking a woman to the ground and robbing her boyfriend.

Charlie Davis, of Hatch Lane, approached Leon Hollow and Shannon Barrett as they walked home from the centre of Basingstoke on July 26, this year.

The 21-year-old was experiencing negative side effects from prescription drugs, given to him by a friend, as he walked up to the couple, who said he appeared “intoxicated”.

Davis asked Mr Hollow whether he had any cigarettes and any money, feeling fearful of what about to happen the victim said: “please don’t do this, you don’t have to”.

Prolific criminal Davis tried to snatch Mr Hollow’s Armani bag causing him to fall to the floor and was kicked by the robber.

Barnaby Shaw, prosecuting, told Winchester Crown Court on Friday: “He [Mr Hollow] managed to get up, put a bit of distance between him and the defendant, but the defendant catches up with him again and punches him.

“He then said ‘give me your bag, give me your bag’ which he manages to pull from his shoulder.”

The court was told that Davis also punched Ms Barrett during the attack.

Davis’s barrister Tom Horder said his client is “sorry and ashamed” of his behaviour that evening.

His Honour Judge Keith Cutler was told that the defendant had had a difficult childhood and started drinking heavily at the age of 15, with periods where he was clean and able to get work but that came “crashing down on this night”.

Mr Horder said: “During this current remand there has been much soul searching.

“He comes across as motivated to change and there is a sense of growing maturity.”

The court heard that Davis has 16 convictions for 32 offences between 2014 and June last year.

In sentencing, Judge Cutler said: “It is very sad to see you, you are 21 years of age with this appalling record back before the courts for what is an offence which is particularly unpleasant.

“You and a friend, whoever you were with picked on them and soon it turned to violence. It involved you kicking and punching and robbing Mr Hollow and for good measure punching Ms Barrett.

“Sadly, you did that, and you have done it before, this is the third time you have been before the courts for robbery. You have got to do something about it.”

Davis was jailed for three and half years, having pleaded guilty on an earlier occasion to robbery and assault.