TWO men have been found guilty of setting up a terrifying violent burglary at the home of an elderly couple in Westhoughton.

Raymond Dallimore and Wayne Duckworth were told to expect “long custodial sentences” after being convicted by a jury of conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary.

In dramatic scenes in Bolton Crown Court, members of their family burst into tears when the verdict was delivered, and another in the public gallery had to be escorted out of court by a police officer after shouting out: “He hasn’t done anything”.

When the verdicts were delivered, Dallimore shook his head, while Duckworth had his head in his hands.

Both were found guilty of their role in arranging a vicious raid at the home of Brian and Enid Butler, both aged in their mid 70s, at about 10.30pm on March 28 last year.

Three men burst into the house, in Dicconson Lane, Westhoughton, and tied them up in the bathroom, with one armed with an axe and another with a large knife.

They proceeded to steal guns, cash and jewellery and made off in a van belonging to Mr Butler, who is Dallimore’s uncle.

The jury was told that the incident began in 2010, when Mr Butler loaned Dallimore £42,000, but three years later, the money had not been paid back, and he instructed a solicitor to draft a letter asking for repayment.

Dallimore, aged 59, of Church Street, received a “standard” solicitors’ letter from Fieldings Porter solicitors on March 18, and another on March 27 when no reply was received.

However on the morning of the raid, Dallimore called the solicitors office in a “vile” mood, and the tone of the conversation was said to be “hostile”.

During the call, Dallimore threatened to bring up Mr Butler's past and "give him an appetite for porridge".

The court was told that Dallimore called then called Shaun Gastall, a friend of Duckworth, to arrange the burglary later that night.

Gastall then called Duckworth, who put him in touch with Craig Lister, who was described as a “violent professional criminal” who had the nickname Bin Laden.

Later that night Gastall and Duckworth travelled to Lister’s home in Liverpool to pick him and two of his henchmen up before returning to Westhoughton to conduct the raid.

The court heard that the gang knew that there were guns in the house, because Mr Butler is a deerstalker, and that they knew there was a safe in the house, despite only close family members being aware of it.

Lister was later arrested while on a boat belonging to Duckworth which was moored in Adlington, and when Duckworth, aged 33, of Park Road, was arrested he tried to hide his mobile phone.

The court was told that Duckworth and Lister had been friends since they grew up close by in Deane.

Dallimore and Duckworth were both refused bail.

Judge Timothy Clayson said: “They have been convicted of extremely serious offences involving an aggravated burglary, and long custodial sentences are inevitable.

“I don’t consider in those circumstances that bail is appropriate.”

Gastall, aged 35, of Maple Crescent, Leigh, and Lister, aged 33, of Hale Road, Liverpool, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary at an earlier hearing.

Dallimore, Duckworth, Gastall and Lister will all be sentenced on July 2.