TWO Birmingham men who ambushed and robbed a scrap metal dealer, during which he was severely beaten, have been jailed.

Darren Daisley, 25, of Woodnorton Drive, Moseley, admitted robbing victim Roy Widdowson and his wife Brenda and having a sawn-off shotgun with intent.

Kieron Snape, 30, of Dovehouse Pool Road, Aston, denied both charges but was found guilty.

Snape was jailed for 15 years and Daisley, who the judge said was getting credit for his guilty pleas, was jailed for 12 years.

Darron Whitehead, prosecuting, said that in February last year Mr Widdowson, who owns Arches Lane Autospares in Rugby, returned home from work at just before 6pm.

He was walking with his Alsatians, Bella and Sandy, towards the house in Moors Lane, Hillmorton, Rugby, when the men, in dark clothing and balaclava masks, suddenly appeared.

One had a sawn-off shotgun which was pointed at his face. Then it was fired at Sandy. The dog survived the shooting.

In desperation Mr Widdowson fled to the kitchen, but the gang burst in and attacked him after he had tried to fight them off with a chair.

He was repeatedly hit with a metal cosh, knocking him to the floor, and his wife began screaming as one of the gang kicked and stamped on his head “like a frenzied animal”.

The couple were tied to chairs while the gang ransacked the house and eventually fled with £4,800.

But they left behind some sunglasses on which Snape’s DNA was found, and a bag had Daisley’s fingerprints on it.