A “nasty” serial West Midland criminal with 101 previous offences has been jailed for four years after stealing £30 from a disabled man.

Cassey Evans preyed on 64-year-old Harold Horne and had taken property from him before, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard yesterday.

The victim was knocked to the floor of his Tividale home when the thug burst in after tricking him into opening the front door. Evans snatched a pre-payment TV meter sending cash crashing to the ground, said Mr Hugh O’Brien-Quinn, prosecuting.

Mr Horne could not get back onto his feet and had to ring 999 from his mobile while still lying on the floor after the burglar fled.

Mr O’Brien-Quinn said: “He is registered disabled and has known Evans for 30 years. They are not friends and has has had things stolen by him before.

“When Mr Horne asked for the identity of the caller knocking on his door he was told it was the police but told Evans to go away as soon as he realised it was him. Mr Horne grabbed his coat but Evans knocked Mr Horne to the floor and yanked the payment box from the television causing the set to fall to the floor.”

The raider was found by police four days after the January 4 burglary hiding behind the sofa at a house in Dudley.

Mr Horne said he had been left constantly “on edge” following the attack. The father of two, a former bus driver, suffers from arthritis and heart problems and uses a disability buggy to get around.

He said: “After the attack I couldn’t sleep, I didn’t want to go out, I had to lock all of the doors.

“He pushed me and I fell to the floor and hurt my head. When he ran off I called the ambulance and the paramedics had to treat me.

“We weren’t friends, I knew his brother and I know he tried to blame it on him at first. He’s a nasty man – I hope prison sorts him out.”

Judge Anthony Cleary jailed Evans, of Knowle Road, Rowley Regis, who admitted burglary, and told him: “I am appalled by this offence. It was cowardly and nasty.”

Mr John Evans, defending, said: “This was an offence of immense stupidity.

“It was committed against somebody who knew him well and it was inevitable that he would be arrested.”