Pair deny threatening Barnstaple tattooist Mark Angell with meat cleaver and crossbow

A tattooist was threatened with a meat cleaver and a crossbow by two men who burst into his home, a court heard.

Mark Angell was left with a broken nose after being headbutted. Then he was marched from his flat in Barnstaple to a cashpoint in the town's High Street where he says he was forced to hand over £70 cash.

Steven Trower, 33, and Paul Giles, 44, said they were collecting a debt for a friend when they subjected the tattooist to the terrifying ordeal, Exeter Crown Court was told.

Trower produced a meat cleaver and Giles told him he had a crossbow which he would use to shoot Mr Angell if he tried to escape as they walked him to the cash machine.

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The attack is alleged to have taken place 18 days before Christmas 2011 and is said to have started with the two men and two others getting into Mr Angell's flat on the pretext of asking about a tattoo.

Trower, of High Street, Combe Martin, and Giles, of Victoria Road, Barnstaple, both deny robbery. Trower also denies stealing a PSP PlayStation from Mr Angell's flat in Albert Road, Barnstaple.

Emily Pitts, prosecuting, said the robbery happened on December 7, 2011, while Mr Angell was at home wrapping Christmas presents in the early evening.

Three men and a woman, including, the two defendants, used the buzzer system to gain entry by telling Mr Angell they wanted to talk about a tattoo.

Miss Pitts said: "These two defendants became violent and demanded money before ensuring they got it. Trower was the first to demand money and Mr Angell had no idea what was going on.

"He told them there was no money in the flat and Trower revealed a meat cleaver in his waistband which he removed. If that was not scary enough for Mr Angell he began to lunge at him, swiping the blade in front of his face. He was having to lean back to dodge it.

"Giles told him he had a crossbow under his coat. Mr Angell was headbutted, causing his nose to bleed. The threats continued and they told Mr Angell they would poison him or chop him up and he was sufficiently frightened to offer to go to down and get money out for them."

Miss Pitts said the two men walked behind him through the centre of Barnstaple and told him they would use their weapons if he tried to flee or get help.

He stopped at a NISA convenience shop where he and Trower were caught on CCTV as he tried to get cashback without success.

All three were then seen on town centre CCTV as they walked to the cashpoint at the top of High Street where Mr Angell withdrew all the money in his account and handed over the £70.

When he returned home he found a PlayStation had also been taken. It was recovered at Trower's home. A meat cleaver which matched a set of knives at Giles' home was found in a flower bed in Albert Road.

The defendants told police they were collecting a legitimate debt for a friend. They said they had not used any violence, threats or weapons, and Mr Angell had paid up voluntarily.

The trial continues and is expected to last until the end of the week.