A judge has locked up two intruders who burst into a teenager’s home as he slept in bed and tried to rob him at knifepoint.
Leeds Crown Court heard the 18-year-old victim heard banging on his door at around 5.30am but before he could answer two men ran into his bedroom.
Robert Galley prosecuting said Daniel Long and Jack Christopher Bradshaw had broken down the door of the flat in Bishops Court, Berry Brow, and one of the pair immediately straddled the victim with a knife in one hand.
He then held his throat tightly with the other saying: “Where’s the money?” and then “Where’s the grow?” referring to cannabis.
they let him go and suggested he had been set up by others one of them telling him: “Keep your friends near and your enemies closer.”
Mr Galley said a security guard had already alerted the police after seeing the pair on CCTV enter the block wearing either balaclavas or with their hood over their face and carrying knives and the pair fled when one looked out the window and saw officers arriving.
Bradshaw was caught as he was leaving and Long was then found on the first floor. Officers discovered the damaged door to the flat where the victim had a cut to his finger and bruises on his throat.
When interviewed Long admitted he was the one who straddled the teenager. He said they had been told that there was cannabis worth around £800 being grown there and after drinking around a litre of vodka they decided to steal it not thinking anyone would be there.
The court heard Bradshaw had previous offences of robbery on his record. James Gelsthorpe representing him said he had a history of substance abuse. He had taken cannabis since the age of 12 and more recently ecstasy but since being remanded in custody was working with a drug worker “and that is going well.”
Ben Campbell for Long said he had battled with drink and drugs in the past. He hoped to support his family better in the future when he was released.
Long, 20 of Market Place, Dewsbury admitted attempted robbery and was sent to a young offender institution for four years eight months.
Bradshaw, 17, of Nowell Place, Almondbury, Huddersfield was ordered to be detained for four years four months after he also admitted attempted robbery.
Sentencing them Judge Rob Mairs said The victim was threatened in his bedroom. “It must have been utterly terrifying.”
