A MAN has been jailed for taking part in a horrific burglary that left a five-year-old child "distressed and terrified."

At Minshull Street Crown Court Charlie Wallbank, 19, of Wilson Road, Manchester, who was also sentenced for his part in an affray, was jailed for a total of 10 years and seven months.

Judge John Potter told him: "The child who witnessed this was clearly distressed, terrified.

"For a five year old child, this almost beggars belief."

The court heard how Wallbank was part of a gang of three masked men who broke into a home on Goldfinch Drive, Bury, on February 17, 2020 using hammers.

Adults in the house hid with the little boy in an upstairs bathroom before some of the men broke in and forced them to hand over £500 from the bedroom.

A pair of trainers worth £380 were also taken, while the gang caused an additional £500 worth of damage.

Andy Scott, prosecuting, told the court how, although the victims were unharmed physically, all of them, particularly the child, had suffered psychological harm.

Wallbank was later identified thanks to blood left at the scene and was arrested in December 2020.

Almost a year earlier, Wallbank had also taken part in a mass fight at the EastzEast restaurant in Whitefield along with Jack Conway, 19 of Holden Drive, Swinton, Asa Millar, 19 of Cemetery Road South, Swinton and Jacob Wazo, 20 of Henderson Avenue, Swinton.

The court heard how the fight on March 30, 2019, had started after a disagreement between two young women near the dance floor which came to blows.

Millar then joined in, throwing a punch at one of the young women and trying to kick her on the floor before he injured another man, Jordan Wilson, with a kitchen knife.

Wazo, who had gone to the party "unarmed and intending to enjoy the social occasion" as his defence counsel said, then intervened, trying to pull Millar away from the fight before himself attacking Mr Wilson with a cosh.

Wallbank then became involved and was drawn into a fight with Conway, who claimed he armed himself with a hammer in self defence.

Mr Wilson, who was not charged with an offence, collapsed outside the venue and had to be treated in hospital.

The defendants all pleaded guilty to affray, with Wallbank also admitting aggravated burglary.

Millar was jailed for a total of three years for his involvement in the fight and for possession of a knife.

Wazo was given a suspended sentence of nine months with 200 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of rehabilitation activities, while Conway received a two year community order which includes 200 hours of unpaid work.