A PONTYPOOL window cleaner who tried to steal from his 70-year-old grandmother before pressuring her to withdraw her witness statement has been jailed.

26-year-old Christopher Reilly, of Broadway, Pontypool, was sentenced to 14 months in prison at Newport Crown Court on Friday [December 19].

On November 6, Reilly pleaded guilty to attempting to burgle the home of his grandmother, Mary Reilly, in Tenby Close, Llanyravon, and on Friday pleaded guilty to three further counts of witness intimidation.

The court heard how drug addict Reilly was spotted by a neighbour breaking into his grandmother’s house, who was out at the time, using both a broom handle and a metal mop handle on Sunday October 12 this year.

Police were called to the property at 5.40pm and arrested Reilly who was found hiding under the bed. Nothing had been taken.

But between October 12 and October 25 Reilly continued to contact his grandmother three times via telephone calls and a letter, intimidating her and urging her to withdraw her witness statement.

The court heard how widow Mrs Reilly had “made it clear the defendant was not welcome at her house and he was a nightmare”.

The pensioner said she received a letter from her grandson which ended: ‘Withdraw your statement. Lots of love, Chris’

The court also heard how Reilly phoned his grandmother twice, telling her: “What’s going on, why are you putting me in jail?”

At Newport Crown Court on Friday, Judge David Wynn Morgan sentenced Reilly quickly after an outburst at the press while in the dock, where he shouted: “Don’t you write about me."

In mitigation, the court heard how Reilly is 'in the grip of drug use', but has a good employment record as a window cleaner and shows remorse for the stress caused to his family.

Judge Wynn Morgan ordered the defendant to serve a prison sentence of 14 months and told him he is banned from contacting, either directly or indirectly, Mary Reilly.

He said: “The defendant does have an excellent work ethic, although the only reason he works is to fund his drug habit.

“His attitude today seems to show that he will not co-operate with any agency.”