Two armed robbers raided three houses in Sheerness in an afternoon, stealing cash and a moped – and holding a knife to the face of one victim.

The pair had planned the series of attacks, one of which left a mum-of-two so traumatised she suffered 12 panic attacks.

Her husband, Harry Enright later revealed: "I genuinely believed I was going to be stabbed in my own house.

"I couldn't believe what was happening to me. I do not know if I will ever recover emotionally from this."

Now a judge has jailed one of the men for six years and a second was sent into youth custody for four years.

Recorder Janet Bignall QC said the account from the father of two young children who witnessed the knife and death threats made "chilling reading".

Freddie Hanratty, 20, of Gosterwood Street, and Alfie Spain, 26, of Czar Street, both Deptford, admitted a conspiracy to rob three houses in Sheerness in March this year and possessing knives.

Prosecutor Amy Nicholson said the pair plotted their trip to Sheerness and raided homes in Alexander Road, Victoria Street and Queens Way and even filmed some of the journey on their mobile phones.

She told Maidstone Crown Court how a man in Alexander Road saw his neighbour running towards him holding a long-handled dustpan and wearing a ripped top.

"It looked to the man as if he had been stabbed and saw a four or five-inch wound," she said. "The neighbour shouted to him: 'Get a knife, get a knife. There are people in my house!'"

A man wearing a balaclava was then seen at his neighbour's window and the man rang the police. Both robbers were then seen holding knives, she added.

Police later discovered CCTV which caught Hanratty and Spain near the Rose Cafe in High Street, Sheerness, and getting out of a car.

'While they were inside they smashed four mobile phones, stole £200 in cash and stole the keys to his moped, which they then made-off on'

Later, another householder reported two men, armed with knives, bursting into another house in Victoria Street, wearing black gloves and demanding "weed and cash".

Ms Nicholson added: "While they were inside they smashed four mobile phones, stole £200 in cash and stole the keys to his moped, which they then made-off on.

"They also ordered the victim to empty his pockets."

Police later received a call from a woman about two men riding on a moped in Hartlip Close and she believed they were drug dealers.

At 5pm the same day, the men went to the home of Harry and Siana Enright and forced their way inside.

"They told Siana to sit down and Harry was told to go into the kitchen, followed by Hanratty who demanded money," said Ms Nicholson.

"Harry explained he didn't have any cash but offered up an X Box and a credit card, at which point Hanratty pulled a 10 to 12-inch black knife from his waistband and held it to Harry's face.

"Spain, who was wearing a balaclava, then began looking around the cupboards.

"Hanratty then told them: 'If you call the police, we will come back and kill you'."

Bravely, as the two fled, Ms Enright called after them and as they turned she photographed them three times.

'Three separate households suffered a terrible ordeal at the hands of these offenders and the occupants will be suffering the effects for some considerable time.'

Her husband added: "I am still in shock. These men burst in front of my wife and my young children.

"I am now frightened to answer my door. Siana and I have been left paranoid. She has suffered 12 panic attacks following the incident.

"And my children, who are three and six years old, have asked me every day 'Are the robbers coming back?' That breaks my heart.

"I genuinely believed I was going to be stabbed in my own house. I genuinely couldn't believe what was happening to me. I do not know if I will ever recover emotionally from this."

Spain was jailed for six years and Hanratty was sent to a Young Offenders' Institute for four years and both men have been ordered to stay away from the Enrights for five years.

The judge told Hanratty he had thrown away his previous good character "in dramatic fashion that afternoon."

Investigating officer, PC Emma Laimbeer, said: "Spain and Hanratty travelled from London with the sole purpose of committing violent robberies in Kent.

"The crimes were premeditated, as shown by the fact they were armed with knives in advance, and their later actions at the three addresses were despicable.

"Three separate households suffered a terrible ordeal at the hands of these offenders and the occupants will be suffering the effects for some considerable time.

"I would particularly like to commend the victims for their courage and fortitude in assisting us to bring these appalling men to justice."

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