A NOTTINGHAM man who held knives to the throats of his victims during violent house burglaries has been jailed for 16 years.

Simon Keith Harris (22), of Leroy Wallace Avenue, Radford, was convicted by a jury of three of the worst aggravated burglaries the judge said he had ever dealt with.

In one of the incidents in Leicester, Harris threatened to stab a pregnant woman as her husband begged for mercy.

The householders were confronted by a masked Harris and an unknown accomplice, and had knives held at their throats while their homes were ransacked and property stolen.

Harris, had previous convictions for causing death by dangerous driving, assault and attempted robbery.

Sentencing him, Recorder Stephen Lownes said: "In my professional career as a barrister and as a judge I've come across many incidents of aggravated burglary and robbery, but I can't recall cases where people have burst into victims' houses while brandishing weapons, holding them to their throats, assaulting them, causing damage and stealing their property.

"They must have been absolutely terrified. One victim pleaded with you and your accomplice, saying his wife was pregnant and you ignored it.

"You couldn't give a damn, you were so determined to carry out what you were doing you didn't care about a young woman expecting a baby. Her husband was punched and thrown on the ground.

"A knife was held at his throat and he was threatened that he and his wife would be stabbed if they didn't co-operate.

"Her husband has had little sleep since and for many nights woke with sweat covering his pillow.

"They've had to move because you've destroyed the home they were happy in. The psychological damage to all the victims is immeasurable.

"Another victim has a mark down his neck as a reminder of when you pressed your knife against his throat."

Leicester Crown Court was told another victim, Shane Reece (47), broke his ankle as he fled and jumped over a wall.

Mr Reece later picked out Harris in an identification procedure.

Harris denied three offences of aggravated burglary and causing actual bodily harm to one of the householders last August.

He claimed he played no part in any of the crimes.

Yesterday, however, a jury unanimously convicted him of all offences.

At the time, he was staying with friends in Leicester.

John Hallissey, prosecuting, said, on August 7, Harris, wielding a knife, and an accomplice, burst into Mr Reece's home. He had a knife held to his throat before fleeing outside, while the accomplice ransacked upstairs.

On August 20, a victim who left his front door open was confronted by Harris in a balaclava demanding money, holding a knife a few inches from his face.

Mr Hallissey said: "He tried to run but was grabbed from behind and had the knife pressed on his throat."

Shortly after, the victim did manage to run outside, where he was kicked and punched by Harris, who made off with his mobile phone.

The man suffered a cut neck, bruising and a swollen knee and ear.

On August 21, Harris and another man, with faces masked, forced their way into the pregnant woman's home in Fosse Road Central.

They demanded cash and, as the woman's husband pleaded for her safety, she was marched around the flat and forced to hand over jewellery, cash, a computer console, 200 cigarettes and a mobile phone.

Harris did plead guilty to assaulting a police officer and damaging his police cell, following his arrest on August 24.