A woman drove four armed robbers to the home of a man she regarded as "a big softie" before they launched a savage knife attack on him.

Abigale Duke waited in the car outside before driving them away as victim Glen Henson lay in a pool of blood, Maidstone Crown Court heard.

Alfie Stiffle-Pace, 19, of Valley Road, Kenley, Surrey, was jailed for five years and three months after pleading guilty to robbery, wounding with intent and possessing a weapon.

Duke, 21, of Vincent Gardens, Sheerness, pleaded guilty to the robbery on March 24. She was jailed for 30 months.

Judge Julian Smith told them: "These were grave offences. It must be astonishing to both your families that you should become involved in a robbery with such fearsome weapons."

While Duke waited in her car she texted her sister, who was in a relationship with Stiffle-Pace, saying she was "******** herself".

"I heard a conversation with the four men about whether they were going in the front or the rear door," she said.

"I was just concentrating on the music. I didn't see any weapons."

She told Judge Smith that she knew the victim.

"Glen was a big softie. I haven't a bad word to say about him. I was sorry that he was going to be the one who was going to get robbed.

"Afterwards I felt disappointed with myself. I never asked for any money and I was upset when I realised weapons had been used and I was told about the injuries."

She claimed Stiffle-Pace asked her for a lift to the robbery.

"I was in disbelief at first," she continued. "I only found out who was going to be robbed while we were on the way.

"I was terrified. Once I took the men, including a man called George, who had taken cocaine there and then they asked me to wait and take them back to Sittingbourne."

Peter Forbes, prosecuting, told Maidstone Crown Court: "This was a home invasion robbery on March 24 by four males, each armed with weapons.

"They forced their way into a house in Sheerness where Stiffle-Pace used the knife he was carrying to stab Mr Heaton in the arm."

He said Duke had driven the group to and from the scene, although she stayed in the car.

"He thought it was an easy task. It was stupid. He just went along with it and didn't have the courage to say no."

The robbery took place at 9pm at Mr Heaton's home in High Street, Sheerness. He answered the door to find the men there.

One of them asked if he had "any packet" – a reference to drugs – and he told them: "I think you have the wrong address."

Mr Heaton saw the four-inch kitchen knife and another man holding a meat cleaver and was cut as he tried to grab the weapons.

Mr Forbes told how Stiffle-Pace stabbed the victim in his arm as another man punched the victim to the floor.

In desperation, the victim shouted "There's CCTV" but one of the robbers replied "I don't give a ****. We have a gun" and then showed him the black handle of a pistol.

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The robbers left Mr Heaton covered in blood and made off with £160 in cash and a £340 electric scooter.

Stiffle-Pace was arrested after a scuffle with police and officers seized Duke's mobile phone which revealed she had agreed to take the men to the property.

She then agreed to wait and take them to Sittingbourne after the attack.

Kerry Waitt, for Stiffle-Pace, said his family had a holiday home on Sheppey and he began dealing with drugs.

"He thought it was an easy task. It was stupid. He just went along with it and didn't have the courage to say no. He was not the ringleader of this gang."