Knife burglar who targeted same Wolverhampton family twice is jailed for nine years

Richard Brown and two unidentified accomplices escaped with electrical goods worth a total of almost £4,500, a judge heard yesterday.

The 26-year-old with several previous convictions for violence first struck at the home of a man and his disabled partner and her 10-year-old son on December 11 last year, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The family came face to face with him after answering a knock on the front door.

Mr Robert Price, prosecuting, said: "He was holding a knife and forced his way into the living room followed by two other males, one of whom also had a knife."

They took mobile phones from the couple along with cigarettes, two Xboxes and a lap top with a combined value of £1850 before fleeing after 20 minutes in the premises, the court heard.

On December 23 at 8.35pm Brown hammered on the door of the same house in Himley Crescent, Goldthorn Park, it was said.

The hooded caller smashed his way inside the premises when the terrified family refused to open the door, continued Mr Price.

Brown, clutching a three inch blade knife, smashed the porch door and living room window with a brick before kicking in the front door, the court was told.

The prosecutor continued: "He was followed in by another man and told the householder:'Move out of the way or I will kill you.'"

This time the raiders took two TVs and an iPhone with a total value of £2,600, the judge was told.

Brown cut himself on broken glass during the incident and blood found at the scene matched his DNA, revealed Mr Price. The defendant was also in possession of a knife when traced and arrested three months later on March 23, the court heard.

Miss Kate Thomas, defending, said: "He has an appalling criminal record after drifting through life with the wrong crowd."

Brown from Farndale Avenue, Whitmore Reans pleaded guilty to two aggravated burglaries and was sent to prison for nine years with an extended five year period of licence on release.

Judge John Warner said: "It would be bad enough for someone to have their home invaded once in such a frightening manner but it did not end there. It must have been a truly terrifying experience for the whole family but especially the 10 year old boy."

The judge told Brown: "You represent a significant risk of causing harm to the public because there is always a risk of injury or worse if anybody gets in the way of a person who chooses to carry a knife."