A terrified dad was attacked in his home with a bottle as his partner and daughters looked on in horror.

The two robbers then chased frightened Thomas Laird into the street after hitting him repeatedly over his head until the bottle smashed.

It was only when a friend drove his car towards the thieves that they ran away – but not before forcing Mr Laird to hand over between £30 and £40 in cash.

Now Shane Rule, 23, of Seeshill Close, Whitstable, has been jailed for four years after pleading guilty to the robbery in July last year.

He also admitted seven more burglaries and shoplifting offences in November and December.

Prosecutor Peter Alcock told Canterbury Crown Court said Mr Laird had been at his home in Sea Street with his partner Izabella Despud and their daughters and friends.

Mr Laird heard a knock on the front door and was confronted by two men demanding he hand over cash.

Mr Alcock said the victim recognised Rule but did not know a man holding a beer bottle, who was shouting: “Where’s the money?”

“The unknown male then tried to smash the bottle against a wall but failed to break it and then struck Mr Laird over the head as the victim tried to protect himself.

“Mr Laird managed to push them outside while blows were being struck with the
bottle, which eventually smashed.

“He then ran to a garage near by but was followed by the robbers, who then demanded Mr Laird hand over the money in his pocket.”

The prosecutor said one of the victim’s friends then got into a car and drove towards the robbers, forcing them to flee to where a getaway car was parked near by.

Rule later raided Co-op, Iceland and SuperDrug, stores stealing alcohol, food and other items.

He also broke into a shed which belonged to a relative of Mr Laird, but claimed he was not aware whose garden it had been.

Phil Rowley, defending, said Rule had “a very difficult” start in life, witnessing his father killing his stepmother and taking heroin from the age of 13.

He said two years ago Rule’s four-year-old son was diagnosed with leukaemia and he had struggled to cope with the stress and returned to his drug taking.

Judge Adele Williams told him: “You have had many difficulties in your life, including your addiction to Class A drugs, but it is high time you take responsibility for your life.”