Police have praised the woman whose actions proved vital in bringing to justice the man responsible for a “deeply disturbing” case.

Scarborough and Ryedale CID have revealed details of how they tracked down Mark Philip Pelling who tried to rob the woman on New Bridge, Whitby, before dawn on January 22, 2022.

They said she provided a very good description of the man, despite his efforts to conceal his identity by wrapping a scarf round his head and wearing his hood up.

She told them about his distinctive tattoos, his clothing and his Lincolnshire accent.

Her description enabled them to identify Pelling and arrest him within hours. They also found a knife set with a missing knife that fitted the description she gave of the mugger’s knife.

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Detective Constable Sam Rivers, of Scarborough and Ryedale CID, said: “A serious offender has been brought to justice in this deeply disturbing case.

“Credit must be given to the victim whose feeling of safety has naturally been affected by the ordeal.

“She is an extremely brave woman and her quick actions to report the crime proved vital.

“It allowed us to identify and arrest of the suspect. Key evidence gathered during the investigation forced Pelling’s hand to plead guilty on the first day of his trial.

“I hope this outcome provides some comfort to the victim.

“Whitby is certainly a safer place with Mark Pelling behind bars. One more knife-point robber is off the streets and, make no mistake, North Yorkshire Police is fully committed to bringing criminals like Pelling to justice.”