A Scunthorpe man has been jailed after forcing his way into a family home armed with a combat knife.
Kyle Jackson, 18, of Brant Road, admitted aggravated burglary at a home in Dowse Avenue in the town in November 2020.
Prosecuting at Grimsby Crown Court, Michael Masson told how one of the residents had a Samurai sword held inches from his face and was threatened before a games console and a mountain bike were stolen.
Jackson, who was just 16 years old at the time, was armed with a combat knife.
Mr Masson said the man wielding the sword was Ryan Mobbs. He said he was now deceased. It was later revealed in court he had taken his own life.
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The prosecutor told how the resident was playing on a games console while his brother and friends played elsewhere in the house. He heard a loud crash at the front door. He heard two men demanding money.
They went upstairs and confronted the resident, thrusting the sword towards him, said Mr Masson. Jackson wielded the knife before putting it back in a holder.
The men took an Xbox console and a mountain bike and fled towards Vivian Avenue. The pair were later arrested.
In interview Jackson declined to comment. After taking advice he wrote a statement to police refusing to be interviewed and making no comment about the allegation.
Mr Masson said: “He wrote: ‘Any attempt to interview me would breach my human rights.'”
For Jackson, Craig Lowe said his client played a lesser role in the burglary. He said it was Mr Mobbs who had threatened the resident. He told the court: “The co-defendant committed suicide.”
Mr Lowe said his client is remorseful and he submitted letters to the judge from his family and friends, and the defendant.
The defence barrister said his client had grown up since the burglary and had no previous convictions. He also said Jackson’s father had sadly died.
The court was told Jackson works as a labourer and had disassociated himself from his peers.
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Sentencing Jackson to four and a half years in a young offenders’ institution, Judge Peter Kelson QC said: “It is shocking to see that you have involved yourself in such a serious crime in your first foray into criminal behaviour.
“You armed yourself with a weapon, a combat knife, and forced your way into the house. It is a desperately serious offence of aggravated burglary.
“Your co-accused took the lead. You both had your weapons produced, although you had a quieter role.”
The judge added: “You were one of two people who confronted the resident. In his victim impact statement he said he felt angry that it happened because he was not able to stop it.
“You became involved in this desperately serious offence. You come from a loving family, which makes this offence all the more puzzling.”
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