Two violent criminals brought terror to Wisbech, a court heard, staging a car jacking, threatening a homeowner with a knife, brandishing an imitation firearm and battering a victim with a hammer.

Stephen Colloton, 39, and Danielle Brown, 26, began their 12 hour crime spree on January 12 and in the hours that followed carried out an orchestrated series of assaults.

They were arrested six days later and yesterday a court sentenced Colloton to 14 years behind and his accomplice Brown to four years.

Around 10.30pm on January 12 in Sandyland, Colloton produced an imitation firearm and ordered three people to get out of a Ford Fiesta which he, and Brown, then entered and drove off.

In the early hours of January 13, Colloton entered a house in Perry Road, Leverington through an unlocked back door. He took cash, bank cards and a Peugeot 207 from the driveway using keys he had found inside.

At around 5.30am one of the stolen bank cards was used at McDonalds in Wisbech.

Soon after, armed with a knife, the pair forced their way into a property on Rose Fair Close, Wisbech and a fight broke out with the owner; the victim received a broken nose and had their mobile phone stolen.

At approximately 6.10am Colloton entered a house on River Terrace, Leverington and screamed that he was going to kill the occupant.

However, it became apparent he had the wrong address and Colloton went next door where he took a hammer and hit a man to the head causing serious injuries.

Colloton and Brown were arrested at an address in Leverington on January 18.

Colloton, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to four burglaries, two robberies, attempted robbery and three counts of possessing an imitation firearm.

He was sentenced yesterday (August 8) at Cambridge Crown Court to 14 years in prison.

Danielle Brown, also of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two robberies, attempted robbery, aggravated affray and fraud by false representation.

She was also sentenced yesterday at Cambridge Crown Court to four years in prison.

DC Tom Adams said: "Colloton and Brown would have continued to offend with the severity of the offences increasing as the night went on, so I am glad we have been able to bring them to justice and the victims can now have peace of mind.

"Burglary can have a lasting impact on victims which is why tackling it is one of our priorities."