Three young 'thugs' who robbed a frail 75 year old man of more than £1,500 after bursting into his bed-sit as he slept were jailed for 18 years between them on Friday.
Victim Alex Rainsford was asleep at home in Pembroke Street, Gloucester, when the masked gang - one of them a neighbour - got in with a key they had stolen from him about a week earlier.
One of the gang put a screwdriver to his throat during the robbery.
Mr Rainsford, who suffers from arthritis, diabetes and asthma, was so traumatised by the ordeal that he has since moved out of his bedsit, said prosecutor Julian Kesner.
Jason Wade, 20, of Worcester Street, Floyd Pulley, 24, of Pembroke Street and Joseph Roberts, 18, of Harescombe Drive all pleaded guilty to robbing Mr Rainsford of £1,540 on November 25, last year.
Jailing them, Judge Jamie Tabor QC said: "This was utterly cowardly thuggish behaviour."
He sentenced Pulley to six and a half years in prison, Wade to six years and Roberts to five and a half years in a young offender institution.
Mr Kesner told the court that Pulley lived in the bedsit above Mr Rainsford and knew he was in poor health and vulnerable.
Mr Rainsford had lived in his bedsit for fourteen years, he said.
It was about 6.20am on November 25 that Mr Rainsford was woken by the sound of people searching his bedroom.
"He asked 'what the helll are you doing?' and he reached into his bedside table and grabbed his wallet. One of the gang took hold of the wallet and another pushed a screwdriver into his throat. Nothing was said. When the screwdriver was at his throat he relinquished the wallet," said Mr Kesner.
"The intruders then left the room laughing.
"The police were called. Mr Rainsford had his suspicions about who it was and he told the police. They went upstairs to Pulley's bedsit but no-one was there. However Pulley and Wade later arrived there and were arrested. They each had on them their share of the £1,500 that had been taken.
"Roberts was not arrested at that time but later police learnt that Mr Rainsford's bank card had been used at a nearby cash machine. Images were looked at and Roberts was seen there. He was then also arrested. He had already spent £230 of his share of the money - he had purchased himself a new jacket. The key to Mr Rainsford's home was found, as was his bank card."
Mr Kesner said that in a victim statement Mr Rainsford told how the robbery had left him feeling unsettled and even more fragile than he had before.
"He says he felt helpless and the gang seemed to act as if they thought it was a joke. They were laughing and then switching from laughter to growling and shouting," Mr Kesner said.
"He says he has lost his appetite and has lost two stone in weight."
Mr Kesner said the pensioner added: "Afterwards I was terrified to stay in my flat but I was even more scared to leave."
Mr Rainsford is currently in hospital and plans are being made for him to move into a residential care home.
Mr Kesner said Wade had no previous criminal convictions. Roberts had convictions for possessing mephedrone and burglary. Pulley had criminal damage and a sexual offence on his record.
Lloyd Jenkins, for Roberts, told the court: "He foolishly took part in what can only be described as a cowardly attack on an elderly and vulnerable man. It must have been a terrifying ordeal for him."
At the age of 16 Roberts had been an 'ambassador' at Gloucester City Council but he had gone off the rails when his parents split up last September, he said.
Ramin Pakrooh, for Wade, said he regretted going through with the 'crude idea' to rob Mr Rainsford.
For Pulley, Sarah Jenkins said he has a 'problematic' drug habit. Mr Rainsford had not been verbally threatened or injured during the robbery, she said.
Jailing the trio, Judge Tabor said he had a duty to impose lengthy sentences in cases where criminals had preyed on the young, sick, weak and vulnerable.
