A 27-year-old Worcester man who was "the apple of his grandma's eye" stole £50 from her after he had been drinking.

Ashley Barnes was in fear of reprisal from a drugs gang when he went knocking at her door for cash, said Charles Hamer, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court.

Barnes, of Blackpole Road, was jailed for nine months. He was initially charged with robbery of Doreen Birbeck but he pleaded guilty when the charge was amended to theft.

Mr Hamer said Barnes had been close to his 76-year-old grandmother and she would occasionally help him out with money. But in April this year she was disturbed by knocking at her door. She had been plagued for some time by taxi drivers who said they were owed money.

She eventually opened the door but Barnes pushed past her and made for the bedroom where he knew she kept money. She gave him £50 but he said he wanted "a ton" £100 and she was so upset and pressured she gave him another £50.

Mr Hamer said Barnes had only been released from prison a few days before and was still on licence.

Jonathan Stanniland, defending, said Barnes had spent more than three months in custody on remand and was in fear of a drugs gang. He had been a "golden child" to his grandmother but had destroyed a cherished family tie by his actions. The one good thing was that he had volunteered to undergo treatment for his alcohol addiction..

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC imposed a restraining order to prevent Barnes trying to contact his grandmother.