A MASKED jewellery thief terrorised a family at knifepoint – hours after walking free from court over an earlier crime.

Nasakit Ali brandished a 15-inch blade and threatened to kill his victims before making off with £3,500-worth of gold and other valuables in the family’s car.

The raid on the family’s Sandwell home happened on the same day the 31-year-old, who has a string of previous convictions, was handed a conditional discharge by Warley magistrates for stealing a bike.

Jailing Ali for ten years, Judge Michael Challinor told him: “I have come to the conclusion you are dangerous and you pose a serious risk of future harm to members of the public.”

The judge said Ali went to the family’s home after his court appearance armed with the knife, adding: “You terrorised them and you threatened to kill them.”

But Sandwell Labour councillor Zahoor Ahmed, whose St Paul’s ward covers Ali’s Smethwick home, condemned the earlier conditional discharge handed to the crook over the bike offence.

“It’s a real worry that someone like that was let loose into my community,” he said. “I’m all in favour of tougher sentences and it seems like this is where one should have been given out.”