Family tied up in own home by masked men in armed robbery

TWO masked men carried out a terrifying armed raid on a family home, a court has heard.

- JASON EVANS

The intruders bound their victims with cable ties and demanded money and gold during the knife-point ordeal.

Only one of two raiders - Larry Black - has been caught, and he refuses to name his accomplice. Handing the 38-year-old defendant an extended sentence as a dangerous offender, the judge told him the home invasion had shattered the victims' sense of security and left them “living in fear”.

Brian Simpson, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that on the evening of March 13 this year the victims - a married couple and their teenage daughter - were at home in Llansamlet. He said the couple were sitting in the living room watching TV while the teenager was upstairs.

The court heard that at around 10.30pm one of the family’s dogs ran towards the front door. The husband got up to see what was happening and found himself confronted at the living room door by two men wearing face masks.

One of the intruders was carrying a knife and one was carrying a hammer. Despite the masks, the couple recognised the intruder with the hammer as being Black. The couple did not recognise the other raider.

The court heard the men brandished the weapons and began demanding “the money and gold”, and at that point the daughter of the family came downstairs and saw what was happening to her parents. The teenager was said to be “hysterical”.