A thug who hit a man in the face before stealing his e-bike turned up at his victim’s house the following day with an axe demanding he hand over the charger.

Brian Todd used a heavy object to strike his victim across the nose before stealing his e-bike and riding off.

The following day he threatened the victim with an axe while wearing a mask and demanded he handover the charger.

A few months later, the 31-year-old travelled to the Middlesbrough area where he threw a petrol bomb through the window of a bungalow where an elderly couple lived.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Todd was identified from CCTV footage from a nearby shop where he bought a lighter while smelling strongly of petrol.

Ashleigh Leach, prosecuting, said the robbery took place in August last year when they were walking along Geneva Road in Darlington.

Todd left his victim with blood all over his face before turning up the next day wearing a mask, carrying an axe and demanding the charger for the e-bike.

She added: “He banged on the window and made threats to the complainant before riding off on the bike with the axe.”

The court heard how Todd targeted the house on Bevanlee Road, South Bank, Middlesbrough, on November 11 when he threw a petrol bomb through the window.

She added: “The occupants went into the living room to find a brick on the floor and fire spreading across the living room.

“They saw the settee on fire, the living room window smashed, and a smashed bottle.”

Brian ToddBrian Todd (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Todd, of Dumfries Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an offensive weapon, and arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.

Paul Abrahams, mitigating, said his client was effectively homeless at the time of the offences and had fallen in with a bad crowd.

He added: “He has suffered from mental health issues which led to drug abuse and him falling out with his family and becoming homeless.

“He fell in with a bad crowd and they recruited him to commit the arson but he knows that it was entirely wrong and cannot justify what he did.”

Recorder David Kelly sentenced Todd to a total of eight years and six months for all offences.

“You claimed your actions were simply at the sway of a local drug dealer but there is no evidence of that.

“Your financial motive is laid bare by the fact that the following day you went back to his house with an axe and demanded he hand over the charger,” he said.

Dealing with the arson attack, the judge added: “You threw a lighted petrol bomb through their living room window this caused extensive damage to their home and possibly more importantly left them terrified they would be subject of another attack.

“I accept that you did this in a degree of coercion from the people you owed drug money to. You say that if you had realised that there was an elderly couple in the house, you would rather they killed you than commit that offence.

“I accept you are remorseful for that offence.”