An Ashford couple who arrived home with their business takings were met by a man "making a growling noise like a wild animal" who threatened to stab them.

Attacker John Hughes grabbed a tin containing the money from the woman and hit her husband around the head with it, a court was told.

Their screams alerted neighbours who came out and chased Hughes down the street until he jumped in a car and drove off.

Judge Heather Norton jailed Hughes, 29, for eight years for attempted robbery and drugs offences.

She told him: "This was an attempted robbery only because you did not get away with this because neighbours were alerted by the screams of the victims and chased you away.

"You went to their address and waited for them, knowing they would have cash which it was your intention to steal.

"As they got out of their car you came around the corner making a growling noise. You threatened to stab them which caused them a great deal of fear."

Hughes, of Baileys Field, Arlington, South Ashford, had denied the attempted robbery but was convicted by a jury at Canterbury Crown Court last week. He admitted possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

Alistair Walker, prosecuting, said the drugs were found at Hughes’ home when police called in connection with the attempted robbery.

"They also found a cutting knife and boards, scales, small self-seal bags and mobile phones containing messages which suggested some form of dealing was going on.

Judge Norton said that the victim believed she was fighting for her life, now felt too scared to leave her house in the dark and CCTV cameras had been installed at their home.

"I constantly live in fear and feel like a prisoner in my own house," she said in a statement.

Yogain Chandarana, defending, said Hughes was taking large amounts of drugs and alcohol.

“He was a mess of a man and was on his knees because of the death of his brother and his partner’s miscarriage.”

He added that although Hughes threatened to stab his victims no weapon was found.

“He has remorse for what he did,” Mr Chandarana said. “He has changed since this crime was committed two years ago and is a very different man."

Judge Norton told Hughes: "She says you were like a wild animal and she is still living with the effect of what you did."