A WESTON man who stole thousands of pounds from pensioners' holiday funds before staging a doorstep heist to try to pay the money back has been jailed for three years. Brian Linley, aged 66, was in charge of collecting money from fellow residents at Sandr
A WESTON man who stole thousands of pounds from pensioners' holiday funds before staging a doorstep heist to try to pay the money back has been jailed for three years.Brian Linley, aged 66, was in charge of collecting money from fellow residents at Sandringham Court in Lonsdale Avenue, to pay for a tinsel and turkey break in Bournemouth.After stealing from the fund, he donned a disguise and pointed an airgun at an elderly couple at their home in Clarence Park Road North in a bid to get some cash.Linley pleaded guilty to three thefts, aggravated burglary and possessing an imitation firearm at Bristol Crown Court on January 12 and he also asked for 12 other thefts to be taken into considered.Many of the pensioners who were conned by him attended court but were disappointed he did not receive a harsher sentence.Victim Barbara Wall said: "I think what he did was disgusting. We all knew him and are appalled at what he's done. "The worst thing was when he pointed an airgun at those people. He could have given them a heart attack and if it had been a real gun he could be up for murder. He should have been given five years in prison."Even though Linley's victims were unable to pay Axe Vale Travel company, from Axbridge, the missing cash the generous staff honoured their booking and took the pensioners on their long-awaited break in November.
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