A DESPERATE burglary victim who agreed to pay a £4,000 ransom demand for stolen antiques ended up being robbed twice.

The antiques collector agreed to meet the man responsible for the £46,000 raid on his home in Billingham, Teesside.

He was told to bring a ransom to a pre-arranged meeting spot if he ever wanted to see the china again.

But things turned nasty when the victim was ambushed and ended up losing all his cash.

Newcastle Crown Court was told that Paul Powell hoped to hand over the cash to get his stolen property back.

Mr Powell had lost antique china and ornaments when his home was raided by John Freeman in February this year.

Freeman broke into the house while Mr Powell's wife and child were inside, leaving them frightened and upset.

The court heard that within days Mr Powell was contacted by the burglar and told if he agreed to bring £4,000 to a pre-arranged meeting point in Durham City he could have his property back.

When Mr Powell arrived at the rendezvous, he was confronted by a gang, which included Freeman, who snatched the cash and fled.

Freeman, 22, of Adventure Lane, Houghton-le-Spring, Wearside, admitted burglary and robbery at an earlier hearing.

Yesterday, he was sentenced to four years and three months by Judge Michael Cartlidge.

The judge told him: "To add insult to Mr Powell's injury he lost thousands in the burglary and when he tried to recover that, lost a further £4,000 in cash." Freeman said he had armed himself with a golf club to intimidate Mr Powell when the gang pounced at the meeting.

However, the prosecution accepted it was not Freeman who had snatched the cash.

In mitigation, Freeman's defence team said the guilty plea, which he entered after Mr Powell gave evidence during his trial, proved he was truly remorseful for what he had done.