Two women who were attacked and robbed thought they were going to be killed when they were grabbed round the neck, a court heard yesterday.

Barry Silburn, 42, of Stacey Street in Finsbury Park, is on trial at Wood Green Crown Court charged with robbing four people and attempting to rob a fifth, on three days between May and July this year.

The attacks happened along Parkland Walk, a path and nature trail which runs between Highgate Tube and Finsbury Park.

Silburn is accused of robbing Basia Lejonvarn and attempting to rob Rose Catt, two friends who were out walking through Parkland Walk, at lunchtime on Thursday, June 26 this year.

On Monday, the women described their terror as their heads were grabbed from behind as they were pushed into bushes of nettles along the path, not far from Crouch Hill.

Mrs Lejonvarn said: "We were deep in conversation. Because it was quite narrow Rose was in front of me and we sensed that something was behind us. We both turned around and we saw someone coming towards us.

"I remember thinking we've got to let them past so we stepped back but then this person marched towards us with aggression and at that moment we both knew something was going to happen. I felt he was looming towards us. He had a particular look in his eye - extremely focused and determined.

"The first thing I thought was that he might be just mentally ill and that I was uncomfortable letting him past. But the way he looked at us I knew I was going to be attacked.

"He grabbed me by the back of my head. I tried to push back against him but I couldn't. He just grabbed me and he must have held Rose's head too. He shoved us into the side of the bushes.

"He was saying things like 'don't scream, don't say a word'."

Mrs Lejonvarn said she handed the man £40, which was all the money the two women had, before the man ran off down the path.

She added: "I was crying I was in such shock and I said 'thank God he didn't kill us'. It didn't occur to me we were being robbed - I thought he was a rapist or a murderer. I was so grateful we were alive."

Mrs Catt said: "It was very frightening. When he first approached us I thought we were going to be reallly really hurt. I couldn't believe he was gone and it was over."

Both women positively identified Silburn in a video ID parade, the prosecution alleged. But Silburn was only arrested after robbing his fifth and final victim, James Burgess, the court heard.

Mr Burgess alerted police after being attacked in in Parkland Walk, Crouch End, on July 7. Silburn approached him from behind, threw him to the ground and searched through his pockets for money, the prosecution claim.

Police arrested Silburn a few roads away in Ferme Park Road, Crouch End where he was said to be breathing heavily and sweating. Silburn claimed to have been in the area visiting his girlfriend.

Prosecution for the Crown, Jonathan Wright, said: "The method in respect of these three days and each of these complainants was similar. He stealthily and suddenly approached from the rear while the persons were walking through Parkland Walk.

"The descriptions these victims were able to give bore similarities."

Silburn has pleaded not guilty to robbing Basia Lejonvarn on June 26, Rayah Feldman and Ann Whitehead on May 31, James Burgess on July 7 and attempting to rob Rose Catt on June 26.

The trial continues.