Thugs held pensioner, 74, prisoner in his home and terrorised him while they stole £20,000

Wayne Roberts, 36, formerly of Burton Road, Barnsley and James Hughes, 37, of no fixed abode were given sentences of 14 years and four years respectively at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday (17 November).

The court heard how the pair walked into the property in Staincross in May while the occupant was sat in the kitchen eating a meal and punched him in the face after he challenged them.

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They terrorised the victim for about an hour after initially claiming they were from the water board and wanted to check his water pressure.

Detective constable Paul Bracewell from Barnsley CID said: “Roberts and Hughes kept the victim essentially captive for around an hour while they robbed him, the whole time threatening violence and injury if he did not comply with their demands.

“After the pair had left, the victim was too scared to leave his room and when he did, it took him a number of hours to find his landline phone to call police, because this had been hidden in a deliberate attempt by the suspects to delay him reporting the robbery.”

The victim was intimidated into opening a safe in his bedroom for the thugs, who moved him onto the bed and forced him to stay there – taking a photo of him – while they emptied its contents, worth £20,000.

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He and his family were threatened with further violence should he call the police.

DC Bracewell added: “Our initial enquiries revealed that a neighbour on the same street had challenged Roberts and Hughes as they tried to get into a different property earlier that day, sneaking into the back garden before they were confronted and told to leave.”

Roberts was found guilty of robbery following a jury trial, with Hughes pleading guilty before trial and admitting an additional count of burglary relating to a separate incident. Both men “had quantities of cash on them when they were arrested by officers.”