Two Oxford teenagers who threatened a sick pensioner with an imitation gun and robbed him of his car, cash and mobile phone have been jailed for a total of five years.

Gary Sellwood, 18, of Field Avenue, Blackbird Leys, and Lee McGinn, 19, of Cowley Road, Littlemore, attacked Ivor Woods after he was befriended by McGinn's girlfriend, Shelley Boulton.

They struck as Mr Woods arrived at Miss Boulton's house.

They seized him by the throat, threatened him with a fake gun and stole £80 in cash, his mobile phone and Ford Focus car.

Oxford Crown Court heard on May 6 that Mr Woods, 69, a lonely and ill man suffering a debilitating disease, was befriended by Louisa Panter, who felt sorry for him and met him regularly.

She and her friend, Miss Boulton, had been on a shopping trip with him before the attack on December 6 last year.

Isobel Ascherson, prosecuting, said McGinn disliked Mr Woods because he thought his relationship with the girls was inappropriate. He asked Sellwood to join him in confronting Mr Woods.

Both teenagers admitted possessing an imitation firearm and robbery. Ms Ascherson said Sellwood had committed 42 offences between the age of 14 and 18, including violence and drug offences, and had served several spells in young offenders' institutes.

But Lucy Tapper, defending McGinn, said: "It seems to have been something intended to be just a scare that got out of hand.

"McGinn is anxious and willing to comply with any help he can be given. He is a young man with a very difficult background -- it's surprising he doesn't have more convictions.

"He has a daughter he feels very strongly about, who he would like to have more contact with."

Peter DuFeu, defending Sellwood, said: "He co-operated with the police from the start and entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

"He has spent most of his teenage years in care homes.

"He does express his regret for what he has got himself into. He understands that he has caused distress to this man."

Judge Bruce McIntyre said: "It's not for you to decide who these girls wanted to socialise with. I suspect and I hope that there's a better side to both of you.

"You must think about if you want to show more of that better side."

Sellwood was jailed for three years. In sentencing McGinn to two years, Judge McIntyre took in account offences of robbery and criminal damage that he admitted to police but was not charged for.