by Keith Hunt

A cash-strapped father got more than he bargained for when he plotted to steal an expensive watch advertised on auction site eBay.

Tom Webb met "stiff and unrelenting opposition" from the seller and his family and came off worse when violence erupted at a Newington home.

A judge said Wells had "picked on the wrong family".

Webb, 21, was jailed for five years after admitting aggravated burglary, two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and two of common assault.

Ed Connell, prosecuting, said Sammy Redsell advertised his late mother’s 18 carat gold Rolex watch on eBay for £11,500, intending to buy a car with the money.

Mr Redsell described the diamond encrusted watch, originally costing £22,000, as being in mint condition.

Webb asked to view it and on February 4 he drove from his home in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, to the house of the seller’s grandparents, Peter and June Redsell, in London Road, Newington.

Webb arrived in a BMW and was accompanied by friend Robert Mills, who remained in the car.

"The defendant said he wanted to buy the watch and he could pay £9,000 in cash and the rest by cheque," Mr Connell told Maidstone Crown Court on Tuesday.

Webb said he wanted to show the watch to his "brother" outside in the car, but was told it could not leave the house.

He left saying he would fetch the deposit. But he returned with a gel canister used in self-defence, grabbed the watch and sprayed Sammy Redsell and his girlfriend Kelly Squires.

"There followed a melee in which Mr Redsell, his girlfriend and his grandparents sought to restrain him and prevent him from leaving," said the prosecutor.

Webb punched Mr Redsell and struck his grandfather, aged 81, with a vase. Mrs Redsell, 79, and Miss Squires were also assaulted.

They detained Webb until the police arrived.

John O’Higgins, defending, said Webb found himself in the "grave state of affairs" because he had been jobless and in debt and wanted to support his young family.

"What actually happened was never contemplated by him," said Mr O’Higgins. "It was never part of the plan. The plan was to make his escape.

"It was completely hair-brained. He didn’t contemplate what would happen if the plan went wrong.

"He met stiff and unrelenting opposition. He will get little sympathy from anybody. The violence meted out to him was significant and severe.

"By the time the police arrived, he was begging them to take him away. He had lacerations to his head which required stitches and his nose will never be the same again from a significant bite injury.

"Most people will think he has only got himself to blame for that."

Mr O’Higgins added the father of a 16-month-old child would "learn a lesson in a hard and unpleasant way".

The court heard Sammy Redsell suffered cuts and bites during the incident and his grandfather a gash to his hand from protecting his head.

Peter Redsell was kept in hospital for two days and he had to return because of an infection to his injured hand.

Kelly Squires complained about her hair extensions being pulled out by Webb. She said she had given up her job selling cars because she no longer felt safe.

Sammy Redsell told of the effect on him in an impact statement. He said the watch was now worth about £6,000 because of damage caused by the gel spray.

Passing sentence, Judge Michael Carroll said: "There is no getting away from the fact this was a serious and premeditated plan.

"Things started to go wrong when you were not going to get away with it. For this family was not prepared to see this valuable item being taken for no reward."

After the hearing June Redsell said someone knocked a switch and the house was plunged into darkness.

"Nobody knew what had happened until the police arrived and the lights went back on, then we saw my husband’s hand had been injured.

"We had to have the lounge redecorated because of the blood and everything," she added.

"My husband’s got to go back and see a consultant as he can’t close his hand properly.

"I’m happy with the sentence - I hope it will deter others from doing something similar."