A SON stole £400 from his 82-year-old father in a terrifying robbery at his home after he'd used a hammer to smash his way in.

Jason Pritchard’s dad feared for his life after the defendant broke into his address during the early hours of the morning.

He demanded that the victim hand over his wallet while holding the hammer in his hands, Jeffrey Jones, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court.

Pritchard, from Newport has a raft of previous convictions committed against his father and he had been made the subject of an indefinite restraining order not to contact him.

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The 44-year-old defendant’s record relating to him includes offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, burglary, theft, harassment and no less than 12 restraining order breaches.

He pleaded guilty to robbery and being in breach of a restraining order in the Blackwood area on Thursday, May 30.

In a moving impact statement read to the court by Mr Jones, the defendant’s father told his son: “The torment you have put me through again and again has severely impacted upon my health.

“I live in fear of what you will do to me next. You have assaulted me on numerous occasions, but this time you have gone too far.”

His dad added: “The only times I have felt safe over the past 10 years is when you were in prison.

“Your actions do not only impact on me financially, but the emotional, physical and mental torment you have subjected me to is unconceivable.

“I'm not the same man I once was. I'm in the later stages of my life when I should be able to relax and enjoy my remaining time in this world.

“I shouldn't be made to feel like a prisoner in my own home. I really did fear for my life.”

Pritchard had been taking crack cocaine at the time and was on licence having only just been released from prison for being in breach of the restraining order.

The defendant’s barrister Bruce Stuart, mitigating, said his client wanted to be treated for his mental health problems.

Judge Shomon Khan told Pritchard: “I've heard a really powerful victim personal statement from your father with him explaining how conflicted he is about this, no doubt because he cares about you.

“But the sad fact is, he can't have relationship with you. He’s described how he's terrified of you and what you might do to him.”

The judge added: “There are a catalogue of aggravating features in this case.

“One of them is that a victim should feel safe when a restraining order is imposed.”

The defendant, of no fixed abode, was jailed for 12 years in an extended sentence.

He will serve eight years as part of the custodial term plus an extended licence period of four years.

Pritchard will have to pay a victim surcharge following his release from prison.