A man who robbed his friend after smashing him over the head with a hammer and taping him to a chair has been jailed.

At Preston Crown Court on Friday, Ian Carr was sentenced for robbery, false imprisonment and fraud after being found guilty of the offences following a trial in June.

The court heard how in November 2021, Carr, who had been staying with Father Ged Barry at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Church in Pilmuir Road, Blackburn, hit his friend, William Burke, over the head with a hammer, used duct tape to strap him to a chair, and repeatedly punched him until he told him his pin number, and then proceeded to steal £250 from his bank account.

Prosecuting, Clare Thomas said Carr, 47, had gone to Mr Burke’s house for a drink on the night of November 26, armed with a hammer and a knife.

Just as he was about to leave, he hit his friend over the head, before taping him to a chair and demanding he give him his bank card and pin number.

Mr Burke initially refused, but Carr repeatedly punched him until he gave up the information.

He then left the property and headed to a nearby cash machine, where he withdrew £250 from the victim's account.

Thinking Carr had gone for good, Mr Burke attempted to escape, but his attacker returned 40 minutes later angry about only being able to withdraw £250, and attacked Mr Burke again, taping him this time to a bed and threatening him.

Ms Thomas said: “Carr said to Mr Burke not to inform the police, otherwise he would kill him, burn down his house and burn down the houses of his family members.

“Carr then left the property and Mr Burke managed to get free and went to his brother’s house.

“At first he refused to say who had attacked him, but he contacted the police three days later on November 29 and named Carr as the offender and as someone he knew.”

Carr was arrested at the church in Pilmuir Road where police found a stash of cash. He was interviewed but answered no comment.

Ms Thomas went on: “Mr Burke has been left anxious and paranoid by this incident and as a result is seeking professional help through therapy.

“He suffered a fractured eye socket and cuts to his face, neck and fingers.”

Carr, 47, has 29 convictions for 103 offences, including two lengthy prison sentences for causing death by dangerous driving in 1991 and 2003, as well as multiple burglaries and theft offences.

For the attack on Mr Burke, he was handed a custodial prison sentence of 11 years, with three years on extended licence upon release.

At the same hearing, Carr was also sentenced for his part in a £40,000 World War Two memorabilia burglary conspiracy, details of which will follow.