A 35-year-old Cinderford man who burgled the bedroom of two brothers above their shop - and punched one of them during the raid - was jailed for three years on Monday.

James Blackford of White Chapel Row, Cinderford, had denied having any dishonest intent when he got into the bedroom of Ramesh and Thinesh Gnanasothi above the S&S News store in Market Street on September 4 last year.

He claimed his girlfriend had kicked him out and he was looking for somewhere to sleep.

But following a four-day trial at Gloucester Crown Court, a jury convicted him of burglary by a majority 10-2 verdict on Monday.

Recorder Shamim Qureshi passed a three-year jail term after hearing he had made 17 previous court appearances for 30 offences.

The court had heard three days after the burglary Blackford had gone into the S&S News store and approached Ramesh, asking him ’Do you remember me? Come outside, I’m going to kill you.’

Passing sentence on him, the Recorder said the threatening return to the shop was an aggravating feature which added to the sentence.

The seriousness of the burglary was also increased by the fact that the brothers were in their room asleep at the time Blackford broke in, the Recorder said.