THE farmer told in an impact statement how his ordeal had left him terrified for the lives of his family.

He said once the menacing demands started, he was unable to sleep or eat, and his marriage was put under strain.

In the statement, he told how he had to sell a tractor to meet one deadline, then had to hire one for harvest.

"I was on edge, expecting a phone call all the time," he said. "It has been a real bad time for all my family.

"The threats that were made were 100 per cent real to me, that's why I did the stupid things I did to get money.

"At the time, we were all really scared, we didn't go out after dark, and the family stayed together for safety in numbers."

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, told the blackmailers: "You took part in a conspiracy which involved deliberately targeting this family.

"It involved threatening them with extreme violence. They reasonably believed you were capable of carrying out the threats.

"Such was your greed, such was your complete disregard for the effect upon this family, that no sooner had one payment been made, another demand was made.

"He was terrified. His family were terrified. That fear will continue with them for a number of years. You preyed on them."