A MAN who broke into a family home armed with a knife has been jailed.

A woman and her three daughters barricaded themselves in a room at the house in Hastings and called police.

A Nintendo Switch, a wallet containing bank cards and meat products were stolen from the address in Brendon Rise.

CCTV showed a man with a playing card tattoo on his forearm entering the property with a knife in his hand at about 2.35am on August 2, 2021.

He was later identified as Andrew Larkin.

The Argus: Andrew Larkin, of Ninfield Road, Bexhill Andrew Larkin, of Ninfield Road, Bexhill

​Later the same day, police received a call that the 40-year-old had been seen in Hastings town centre selling a Nintendo Switch.

A bank card stolen during the burglary was also used at a petrol garage in Sidley. CCTV from the garage later confirmed it was Larkin using the card.

Larkin, of Ninfield Road, Bexhill, was arrested and during a search, bank cards belonging to the burglary victims were found, alongside meat products.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and was sentenced to eight years and five months in jail.

He was also given an additional six months for committing an assault on Christmas Day in 2020.

The judge ordered that the two sentences run concurrently.

In a statement read at Lewes Crown Court, the family revealed the impact the break-in has had on their lives.

“My three daughters no longer feel safe at home and especially at night. My youngest daughter has panic attacks when she hears the slightest noise outside at night,” it said.

“I have noticed that my two other daughters have moved their beds around in the bedroom - they have told me that they do not want to be by the door.

"Every family should feel safe in their home. As a family, we no longer feel safe."

Investigator Caroline Bendell said: "This was a terrifying ordeal for a family who were in the place where they should feel safest - their own home.

"They were able to dial 999 immediately and thankfully no one was hurt, but the incident has still had a lasting emotional impact on them.

"This is a despicable crime and Larkin has shown absolutely no regard for his victims at all, stealing items from the home that should have been their sanctuary.

"Thanks to CCTV footage and the vigilance of the public, we were able to apprehend him and build a strong case against him at court."