A MAN who punched a woman in the face during a robbery has been jailed for three years.

Craig Thripp, 38, of Waterfold, Water, denied robbing Rebecca Smith, but was convicted by a jury at Preston Crown court after a trial in January.

Tina Landale, prosecuting, told the court the robbery had taken place in June 2002 in Bacup.

Ms Smith saw Thripp who she had bought a mobile telephone off and he asked her for money he said she owed him.

When she denied this was the case, he punched her in the face, loosening two teeth and splitting her lip. She gave him all the money she had -- £10.

After the attack Ms Smith said she had had to have her teeth root filled and was anxious and afraid of going out and she had taken anti-depressants.

Alex Simmonds, defending, said Thripp had been a heroin addict for a number of years which had affected his health and was now on methadone. He described the incident as an isolated one.

Judge Brian Duckworth told Thripp the offence was "a nasty, vicious and violent assault."