BURGLAR PUT KNIFE TO TERRIFIED NEIGHBOUR'S THROAT - THEN STOLE HER 'RUSTY' SKODA CAR

A family were left traumatised after their neighbour broke into their home and held a knife to the mother's throat until they gave him the keys to their rusty old Skoda.

Jamie George, 27, smashed the front window of the house, on the street where he lives in

Rusholme , at 5am and when the woman came downstairs to investigate he threatened her with a knife.

Her husband followed and the intruder held the knife to the woman's neck and threatened to stab her unless they gave him their car keys. The man woke their four-year-old daughter as he scrabbled to find the keys.

Manchester Crown Court heard the level of violence and force used to steal a nearly 15-year-old 'rusty' car was 'incomprehensible'.

The incident on July 18 left the family fearful of living in their own home having flashback and nightmares.

George, who had drunk a bottle of brandy and taken anti-depressants, had broken into two empty houses on the street where he lives with his pregnant partner and left empty handed, before smashing through the front window of their house.

Prosecuting, Justin Hayhoe told how George pointed a knife at the woman and told her 'Give me the car keys'.

When she tried to get the phone to call police, he said 'get off the phone'.

Her husband then came downstairs, and George threatened to 'stab him in the face'.

George proceeded to grab the woman by the neck and threaten her with the weapon, and she begged her husband to hand over the keys, who then rushed upstairs.

Not satisfied with how long the man was taking, George warned 'If you don't hurry up I'm going to do it'.

While he was looking for the keys he disturbed their daughter who asked her father 'Daddy, what's going on?'

After handing them over George made off in the car, a 2003 registered Skoda, and the police gave chase around Rusholme and

Didsbury for about 10 minutes.

He eventually lost control and crashed, with the car ending up on its side.

After being arrested, George goaded officers, saying: "I smoked you. You couldn't keep up with me."

The family were not seriously injured, but continue to suffer from the psychological impact of the incident.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "I am a very strong person not easily shaken and who doesn't use the word traumatic lightly. But I would have said that this event has been traumatic with lasting effects."

They suffer from flashbacks, and the woman could not be in the house on her own for a time, Mr Hayhoe said.

Defending, Adam Lodge said George realised he had left his victims in 'terror', but said he is now remorseful and wishes to apologise.

Mr Lodge said: "To use that level of violence and force in such a manner, simply to steal what was described by the victim's husband as a rusty old Skoda, is simply incomprehensible."

He said that George, of Platt Lane, Rusholme, who has previous convictions for burglary and drugs matters, struggles to understand why he committed the offences.

George, who was employed at the time, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, burglary, attempted burglary, dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking and failing to provide a specimen following the crash.

Judge Martin Rudland sentenced him to nine years in jail and also banned him from driving for three years.