A WOMAN threatened to infect a member of the public with HIV during an attempted robbery.

Karen Corris threatened to stab and contaminate Marlena Palczak with the virus outside a cash machine unless she handed over money.

The 47-year-old admitted attempted robbery at Sainsburys, in Redcar Street, Southampton.

The city’s crown court heard Corris, pictured, approached Ms Palczak she was attempting to withdraw £20.

Prosecuting Tom Wright said she then told Ms Palczak to empty her account and hand over the cash or she would infect her with a vial of HIV that Corris allegedly had on her person.

When Ms Palczak refused and began walking away, Corris assaulted her.

Mr Wright said: “The two women then had a grapple in the street…but several members of the public came to her [Ms Palczak] assistance.”

A statement by Ms Palczak, read to the court said: “I feared for my life. I do not know how long this feeling will last.”

Defending, Keely Harvey said her client “had taken a concoction of drugs”and her Corris’ life had “spiralled out of control”.

Judge Parker QC said to Corris: “This was in the end only an attempted robbery but would have been a robbery had members of the public not intervened.”Corris was jailed for 32-months but will serve the final 16-months as a suspended sentence.