TERRIFYING threats were made by a man with a knife who threatened a homeless man when they were both living in a guest house.

Gareth Hughes, 38, held a lock knife and told his victim he could cut off his ear or an eye.

"The victim was understandably afraid the defendant would disfigure or kill him," said barrister John Philpots, prosecuting at Caernarfon crown court on Monday, July 1.

Hughes was jailed for four-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to robbery of David Morris Jones.

Mr Philpots said it happened in Mr Jones' room at the guest house in North Road, Caernarfon, in the early hours of May 29.

The victim had given him £10 then Hughes returned with the lock knife.

Mr Jones handed over £390 in notes, which was his late mother's inheritance, and he stole another £15, a pouch of tobacco and clothing.

"How long would it take me to cut off your ear, how long to cut your eye out - it would only take minutes and you would never look the same," Hughes had said menacingly, said Mr Philpots.

"About 2am, he returned for a third visit and threatened the victim if he went to the police he would cut his eye out."

However the landlady was told what happened by another resident and police were informed.

Hughes was arrested at a house in Bangor, where some of Mr Jones' clothing was recovered. Most of the cash was not found.

Hughes – known to his victim as Gary - had a long list of previous convictions, some for violence and in 2004 had been put behind bars for three years for robbery.

He had now been recalled to prison to complete a two years and eight months term for burglary.

Elen Owen, defending, said the best mitigation had been the guilty plea.

Both men involved had been homeless and Hughes had his own vulnerabilities and at the time was in dire circumstances. He had battled with drug demons.

Passing sentence Judge Huw Rees told Hughes, who appeared via video link from prison: "It was a frightening experience for him because you made chilling threats towards him and he feared for his life."