A MAN condemned as a despicable coward by a judge was today starting a six year jail term for an attack on a retired headmaster.

Francis O'Brien, aged 36, burst into David Bradbury's home and threatened to kill him with a "cosh" unless he handed over money.

O'Brien then forced the victim to go to his own building society and withdraw £2,000 in cash.

Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, heard that 54-year old Mr Bradbury was picked out by O'Brien and accomplice Craig Crawshaw because the former teacher from the Bury area was an alcoholic who would often try to buy friendship. O'Brien and Crawshaw, aged 25, broke into Mr Bradbury's home while he was still suffering from drinking the night before.

O'Brien started demanding money and threatened to kill Mr Bradbury and dump his body on Saddleworth Moors. The pair took Mr Bradbury to a cafe to wait for his building society to open where witnesses described Mr Bradbury as looking "very distressed and nervous".

In the building society the robbers stood behind Mr Bradbury while he withdrew the cash and gave them £1,000 each. O'Brien, of Irwell Close, Radcliffe, who had previously been sentenced to four years in jail for an armed robbery on an off-licence, jumped bail during the trial but turned himself in four days after being convicted of robbing Mr Bradbury.

Crawshaw, of Greenfield Avenue, Clifton, Salford, was convicted of blackmail but acquitted of robbery. He admitted an unrelated offence of perverting the course of justice and was jailed for 30 months.

Judge Adrian Smith told them: "This was a despicable cowardly robbery. Such offences are very easy to commit by cowards who are willing to prey on vulnerable members of society."