A PONTYPOOL man was jailed after refusing to name an armed gang who terrified two elderly brothers in a raid on a remote farmhouse.

Anthony Hawkes, 44, loaned the gang his Vauxhall Carlton and was jailed for a total of three years eight months after refusing to identify them to police.

David Elias, prosecuting, said the gang of three wielded what was thought to have been a pistol and a truncheon and terrified the brothers, who were in their eighties.

The balaclava-wearing trio, who stole £250 in cash from the brothers, have never been caught.

Hawkes, of Lethbridge Terrace, Pentwyn, Abersychan, admitted a charge of conspiracy to carry out a burglary and two offences of dishonestly handling stolen property.

Judge Christopher Llewellyn Jones, sitting at Cardiff crown court, told him: "Having regard to the seriousness of the offences I don't consider a community penalty as appropriate. The only sentence that can be passed is a custodial one."

He said the two brothers were "plainly subjected to great fear". He added: "You have declined to name those involved because you fear reprisals."

Mr Elias said David Lloyd, 83, and his brother Thomas, 85, were at their home near Usk on April 23 last year when the doorbell rang. They asked who was outside and somebody said: "It's the police, come quick".

David Lloyd opened the door and was overpowered by three men wearing balaclavas over their faces. He was bundled into the kitchen and told to be quiet. His brother Thomas was confronted by one of the men who he believed had a truncheon, and the cash was handed over.

Shaun Percell, who lived in a caravan at the farm, suspected something was going on and made a note of the details of the car. He gave it to the police and this led to Hawkes' arrest two days later. Mr Elias said that it was accepted that Hawkes was not actively involved in the incident.

The police also found a jewellery case taken stolen two months earlier during a burglary at Llanarth, at Hawkes' home, and officers discovered he had tried to sell eight Staffordshire ornaments worth £1,000 stolen during a burglary at Llanvihangel Crucorny on June 23 to an antiques dealer.

The court heard that Hawkes had previous convictions for burglary, theft, and handling stolen goods and once received a four year sentence for conspiracy to burgle. His counsel Harry Baker said: "By his guilty plea he has saved two elderly gentlemen from giving evidence."

He said Hawkes wouldn't name those involved "because he didn't want to stick his neck out and get into trouble".