A KNIFEMAN has been jailed after he burst into a terrified pensioner's home in a revenge attack.

Shaun Freeston, 20, turned up at Derek Clinning's Accrington home in the early hours, threatened his sons and held the large weapon to one of the men's throats.

The defendant demanded Mr Clinning's car keys, said he would knife the 65-year-old if he didn't hand them over, then drove off in his car.

Freeston said he targeted Mr Clinning after something that happened when the defendant was 15 -- but which was not revealed publicly in court.

He had only just come out of jail after a previous incident when he had produced a screwdriver and taken Mr Clinning's car.

Sentencing, Judge Anthony Russell, QC, told Freeston he could not take the law into his own hands.

The judge said he was concerned about the defendant's pattern of behaviour but went on: "You are a danger but the danger in my view is to Mr Clinning and not members of the public as a whole."

Freeston, of no fixed address, was sent to detention for 40 months, to be served after the 204-day unexpired portion of his previous sentence. He admitted aggravated burglary.

John Begs, prosecuting, told Burnley Crown Court how Freeston arrived at the home Mr Clinning shared with his three sons just after midnight.

He held a knife to the throat of Geoffrey Clinning and then marched the brothers upstairs, holding the weapon in his back.

Freeston went into Derek Clinning's bedroom and demanded the car keys, holding the knife above his head. Mr Clinning was told not to ring the police or he would be knifed.

Philip Holden, defending, said Freeston had not caused any injuries.

The defendant, who at first denied the offence, said he had taken the knife simply to scare the victim.

Mr Holden said Freeston had had counsellling while in custody and recognised he had a problem over what had happened to him when he was 15.