A TERRIFIED pensioner was threatened with being raped and shot when masked men raided a Hampshire home and stole more than £300,000 in valuables including jewellery and guns, a court heard.

Christopher Doughty is accused of involvement in two aggravated burglaries at homes in Southampton and Hambledon where masked men blindfolded and tied up their victims.

Doughty, 53, of Holly Gardens, Southampton, denies the charges and of being in possession of a loaded firearm in public.

Jurors at the opening day of his Southampton Crown Court trial heard how four men broke into the house of Anthony and Patricia Trist in Dumbleton Close at 9pm on August 6 last year.

Two smashed through the conservatory doors dragging Mr Trist into the hallway, while two others brought his wife downstairs.

They demanded safe keys and valuables before blindfolding and tying the pensioners to chairs with duct tape while searching the property, the court heard.

Prosecutor Adam Feest told jurors how the men pocketed an £80,000 solitaire diamond ring threatening to rape Mrs Trist unless she disclosed where “the big ring” was.

He said the men threatened to shoot her unless Mr Trist allowed them access to the cabinet containing 10 licensed rifles, revolvers and live ammunition.

They made off with £300,000 worth of possessions including several Rolex watches and a self loading rifle, the court heard.

Before leaving one man left a message on the couple’s daughter Natalie George’s mobile saying “get to your mum’s house now it’s an emergency”.

They escaped on foot via woodland at the back of the house and are believed to have driven away.

Neighbours recall seeing a silver car in the area in the days before the burglary and two men changing their clothes in the woodland.

The court heard how three masked men also broke into The Dower House, Hambledon, on October 8 tying June Landon, 90, and her carer Victoria Stamp to chairs with gaffer tape and threatening to kill the pensioners’ dog.

They ripped a wedding ring from her finger and ransacked the house for 90 minutes, emptying jewellery boxes and overturning boxes before leaving.

In a video of her interview played to the court, she said: “I was terrified by them.”

Jurors heard how police discovered DNA belonging to Doughty on a door handle at the property.

Three days later they found him in a silver Vauxhall Astra in a car park off Mansbridge Road and discovered “cloned” number plates and Mr Trist’s Marlin Rifle in the boot, it was heard.

Later officers found a black balaclava containing his DNA in a Ford Transit van at his house.

Proceeding