A 21-YEAR old man mugged a woman as she walked in a supermarket car park, a court was told yesterday.

David Stainsby allegedly snatched Carolyn Goodyear's handbag as she passed through Safeway carpark, in West Dyke Road, Redcar, on January 26.

Teesside Crown Court heard she was knocked to the ground after being attacked by the defendant, while another man looked on.

Sean Morris, prosecuting, said the bag contained cash, high street gift vouchers, bank cards and personal papers with a total value of £122.

He said three of the employees went to help the victim and after a search found Mr Stainsby in a nearby alleyway hiding behind a bin.

Mr Morris said: "Two of the three employees recognised him and one of them shouted his name."

The next day the defendant was arrested at his girlfriend's house in Farndale Square, Redcar, and money and a high street voucher were found.

Mr Morris said the victim did some police work of her own and discovered two high street vouchers she had given to her boss were sequential with the one found at the girlfriend's house.

The defendant denied taking part in the robbery and agreed to take part in an identification parade.

Two of the three Safeway employees identified him as the attacker but the complainant and two witnesses did not pick him out.

Mr Stainsby, of Brittania Place Dormanstown, pleads not guilty to robbery.

The trial continues.