TWO teenagers who robbed a man at night in his own home have been jailed for a total of 11 years.

Joshua Neil Townsend and Callum Ethan Shields, both 19, threatened the victim with a hammer and demanded money when he got out of bed to investigate loud banging on his door.

They took his car and made off.

But police patrols were alerted, searched the area, and the robbers were stopped near the outskirts of Scarborough after they headed towards Whitby on the A171.

Townsend, of Norwood Place, Scarborough, was jailed for six years and Shields, of Weaponess Valley Road, Scarborough, was jailed for five. Both admitted robbery and aggravated vehicle taking.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Vicky Millington of Scarborough Investigation Hub, said: "Your home should be a place of safety and to be subjected to such a frightening intrusion into your personal life can leave you feeling very vulnerable, leaving a lasting impact on a victim.

"The seriousness of the offence is reflected in the sentence handed out by the court, and I hope this gives the victim some comfort.”

York Crown Court heard the robbery started at 11.10pm on April 26 when the victim was in bed in his Scarborough home.

He got up to investigate the banging and found one of the robbers in his lounge and the other near the door.

They demanded he give them some money, but he didn't have any.

Eventually they took his car keys and used them to take his car.

When police caught up with the robbers on the Harwood Dale road, Shields was driving the victim's car.

Though Townsend was in the passenger seat, he had also driven the car and had crashed it, causing minor damage.