AN AMATEUR glamour photographer was robbed of £10,000 cash by a man who held a knife to his throat and threatened to cut his fingers off, a court was told.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Sean Harman supplied models to the 68-year-old victim for a “referral fee” so he could take pictures of them, some topless.

Shaven headed Mr Harman denies the alleged robbery in September 2013, but has admitted conspiracy to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Prosecutor Laurie Scott said Mr Harman called the complainant a paedophile and threatened to blackmail him.

The pensioner, who gave evidence from behind a screen, recalled on one occasion asking for a “schoolgirl”, but insisted they had to be “careful of her age”.

Ms Scott said the complainant ran a business in York restoring and selling old vehicles, but was also an amateur photographer.

He got to know Mr Harman through the defendant’s partner – whom he would photograph – and bought a van off him.

Ms Scott said: “Thereafter the defendant kept in touch with him and began to ask him if he wanted other girls to take photos of and offered to introduce them.

“The defendant expected money. [The complainant] went along with it, although he felt uncomfortable and intimidated.”

Recalling the alleged robbery at his workshop, the pensioner said Mr Harman held a knife under his chin and demanded money from him and also threatened to burn his house down.

He said he took hold of his hand and put the knife across his fingers, while stating: “I will chop your fingers off one by one until I get the money.”

He eventually led the defendant to a safe and the defendant took the cash in thousand pound bundles, stuffing it down his top.

He said: “I was totally and utterly terrified and in fear of my life.”

The pensioner later confided in a friend about what happened, but did not tell the police until the following August because he feared repercussions from doing so.

By this time he had begun receiving menacing text messages from Mr Harman asking him to meet.

The complainant denied his photographs were pornographic and that he had embellished his account since he feared being exposed by Mr Harman.

When he was arrested the 35-year-old defendant, of Bishophill Junior, York, denied the robbery.

However, he did admit plotting to harm the victim, telling police he and four friends planned to “smash his face in”, believing he was a paedophile.

He said there had been a dispute over money for the van, while the complainant had not paid him for one of the girls.

The trial continues.