A BURGLAR who stabbed a Bury pub landlord several times with a screwdriver during a night-time break-in has been jailed for five years.

Jody Michael Allen also dragged a Swinton pub landlady out of bed and held a knife to her throat during another robbery.

The 22-year-old went to the George and Dragon Public House on Rochdale Old Road, Bury, at 7am on Friday December 6 last year, the court heard.

He smashed a first floor window at the pub and climbed in but activated the alarm which disturbed the 52-year-old licensee.

The victim got out of bed and confronted the burglar in the office of the pub.

The pair began to struggle and Allen stabbed the licensee in the chest with a screwdriver. He also slashed his face, head and stomach before running away.

In a separate incident Allen, formerly of Rochdale, also dragged a Swinton pub landlady out of bed and held a knife to her throat during another robbery. The burglar forced the 24 year-old licensee of the Robin Hood pub to disable the alarm and open the safe. Allen and an accomplice then fled with several thousands pounds.

Allen, formerly of Rochdale and who is serving a prison sentence for other offences, was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court to three years for the aggravated burglary in Bury and five years for a section 18 assault on the licensee.

He was also jailed for five years for the robbery at the Swinton pub. He will now serve a total of five years in prison as the sentences are to run concurrently.

Det Con Mick Kennedy of Bury CID said: "We are pleased with today's sentence as it will remove a prolific offender from the streets of Greater Manchester.

"Jody Allen was ruthless in his pursuit to steal money from the pubs. He attacked the landlord of the George and Dragon leaving him with a range of injuries and physical scars and I have no doubt that he has left both his victims will mental scars that will take a long time to heal.

" Allen committed these offences in two different areas of Manchester and I hope today's sentence demonstrates our commitment to tackling robbery offences and putting the perpetrators before the courts."