A MAN armed with a knife who told a 67-year-old Ellesmere Port resident in his own home: "Give me your money or I will stab you, I will kill you" has received an extended prison sentence.

Gary Baty, 32, had earlier that night burgled St Paul's Church in Hooton before the terrifying aggravated burglary in Chester Road, Ellesmere Port, in the early hours of June 7.

At Chester Crown Court on Friday, August 30, sentencing judge Recorder Ian Unsworth said Baty, who was homeless at the time of the offences, had committed "an orgy of criminality in Ellesmere Port" and must be considered dangerous to members of the public.

Baty, who had pleaded guilty to burglary, aggravated burglary and to racially abusing a police officer after being arrested, was handed an extended 11-year sentence.

Of those 11 years, he must serve at least two-thirds of an eight-year prison sentence before being considered for release at a parole hearing, with the remaining three years to be served on licence.

Prosecuting, Chris Hopkins said it was at 11.45pm when the vicar of St Paul's Church heard the alarm go off at the church.

He arrived at the church and saw a man – which was Baty – and knocked on the window asking him: "What are you doing?"

Baty then fled the scene. An untidy search had been made inside the hall with food packages scattered about. A window had been smashed and there were blood stains found around the scene, plus two carrier bags with drugs paraphernalia and a Countess of Chester Hospital medical card with Baty's identification details on it.

Twenty minutes later Baty had gone to a block of flats on Chester Road a quarter of a mile away, where the victim – a 67-year-old man who lived alone – was asleep.

The victim woke to find Baty in his bedroom and jumped out of bed to challenge him.

Baty said to his victim: "Give me your money or I will stab you, I will kill you."

Baty was holding a large kitchen knife which he had picked up from the communal kitchen at the property, and also had a knife sharpener.

The victim picked up the nearest thing he could find, which happened to be a blow torch, and struck Baty several times with it.

Baty left, having stolen a tobacco tin from the victim's home.

Police had been alerted and found Baty sleeping rough in the doorway of a restaurant, with a cut and blood on his legs.

The tobacco tin was recovered and as Baty was being taken to custody in the police vehicle, he hurled a tirade of racial abuse against the mixed-race officer, calling him a "P***", a "curry muncher" and a "terrorist".

Baty said to the officer: "I will find where you live," before threatening violent acts against him and his family including a threat to "chop off the heads" of his children, before asking him where he lived.

In police interview, Baty said he had taken so many drugs he did not have any memory of the previous 24 hours.

He expressed remorse and the charges put before him, and accepted he could have harmed someone.

In a victim impact statement, the church vicar said a planned group activity had had to be cancelled due to damage at the hall.

Judge Unsworth added: "It is quite clear that those who loved the community felt unnerved by this incident."

The 67-year-old resident, meanwhile, still thought about the "frightening" incident 80 per cent of the time, did not sleep the following night and had not had a good night's sleep since.

He felt disorientated and confused, was constantly checking the front door for security and had thought about moving.

In the time since, he had thought about what would have happened if he had been stabbed.

The tobacco tin had been a present from his daughter which, while worth pennies on its own, had "priceless" sentimental value.

Baty had 45 previous convictions for 79 offences, including 22 theft-related offences since 2008.

Recorder Unsworth, before considering sentence, said: "I have known homicide cases and if this had resulted in death, as it might have done, then the starting point would be 25 years."

Defending, Peter Barnett said there had been a clear indication early on Baty would plead guilty to all offences.

There had been a lengthy criminal record but nothing on this scale before.

He had had a troubled upbringing, particularly with his father with whom he used to drink and get involved in fights.

Baty had been homeless for several years and had been sleeping in a tent, the court heard.

But after Baty had taken a drugs overdose and was treated at Glan Clwyd Hospital, he returned to find his tent had been burned down along with all his belongings.

He had been taking a "cocktail of drugs" including heroin and cocaine and accepted he was in a poor state of mind when committing the offences.

A psychiatric report had described him as a troubled and complex character.

Sentencing, Recorder Unsworth said he left the scene of the aggravated burglary as the 67-year-old victim was trying to pick up the pieces of his now-broken life.

Baty had claimed he was "not a racist" when interviewed by police, even after being told what he had said to the police officer.

"Those remarks were disgraceful and wholly racist," Recorder Unsworth told Baty.

Baty was told there were "precious few" mitigating factors in his case, and was classed as 'dangerous' to members of the public so should receive an extended sentence.