Knife robbery woman, 21, gets five years’ jail (From Daily Echo)

Knife robbery woman, 21, gets five years’ jail

3:47pm Monday 15th October 2012 in News

A YOUNG woman who followed and robbed a tipsy partygoer at knifepoint, as he made his way home, has been jailed for five years.

Southampton Crown Court heard how victim Daniel Watling had fallen asleep at the party where he had his eyebrows shaved and an egg smashed in his pocket, some of which was smeared over his head.

After leaving the house in Portswood, he was followed by two people and suddenly felt an arm around him.

A knife was then held at his throat with his attacker, Lavana Neufville, threatening to stab him as she demanded he hand over his possessions.

As she went through his pockets, he started to resist but Neufville shouted: “I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

The 21-year-old, who has a catalogue of previous convictions including violence, theft, burglary and drugs, eventually fled with his mobile phone, tobacco and a lighter.

Prosecutor Tim Dracass said Mr Watling told police how he had felt “shocked and devastated” at what had happened.

Neufville, of Orchard Lane, was convicted of robbery and was told by Judge Peter Henry that she had assumed Mr Watling to be an “easy target”.

Jailing her, he said: “Anyone who uses a knife in a robbery faces a significant sentence.”

In mitigation, Sarah Jones said Neufville’s offending had been at the behest of or influenced by others with a record.

“She has had a sad and hopeless history, someone open to suggestion from others.

She has never done anything as serious as this and it is bound to have a salutary effect on her.”