A Calwell man who punched a woman to the ground and kicked her before fleeing with her $3000 Louis Vuitton handbag has avoided extra time behind bars.
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Christopher Hill, 26, also tried to steal his victim's BMW station wagon when he attacked the woman near Canberra Casino in Civic on November 8 last year.
The woman curled into foetal position and screamed after Hill knocked her down from behind as she walked towards the casino shortly before midnight, a police statement of facts said.
She struggled to hold on to her handbag, fearing for her life as Hill stood over her and dealt several blows to her cheek and kicked her in the bottom.
He then grabbed the bag, which contained $800 cash, Chanel lipstick and perfume, and snatched the woman's car keys.
Hill ran to the car and unlocked it but fled when he could not start the ignition.
Police who later took a statement from the victim noticed her cheek was bruised and swollen and she was visibly frightened and shaken.
Hill was arrested a few days later. When police showed him CCTV footage of the assault he said he didn't recognise the offender.
His hand was swollen and knuckles scratched, which he told police was because he had punched a wall and it was taking a long time to heal.
Hill pleaded guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court to offences including robbery, burglary, obtaining property by deception and taking a motor vehicle without consent linked to a string of crimes committed in October and November last year.
In one of the incidents, he broke into Westfield Belconnen using a pair of bolt cutters and stole 370 gift cards, 27 pairs of 3D movie glasses and confectionary from Hoyts Cinemas.
He was restrained by security guards and police who searched his bags seized methamphetamine and a pocket knife.
Chief Justice Helen Murrell this week sentenced Hill in the ACT Supreme Court to three years and 10 months imprisonment, to be served in the community under an intensive corrections order. He was also ordered to continue drug rehabilitation.
