A THUG who blackmailed a pensioner after catching his girlfriend performing a sex act on him on Valentines Day has been jailed for two years and two months.

Christopher White repeatedly threatened the 67-year-old as he demanded money with menaces, even making him drive to the cash machine to get it.

And the 26-year-old, who was the first youngster to get an ASBO in town, also beat up girlfriend Nina Austin in front of his victim after catching them together.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how the pensioner knew Austin and sometimes lent her money.

At about 10pm on Friday February 14 she went to his home in the Railway Village and asked if she could borrow £20.

"He said he wasn't prepared to lend her that and she offered to perform a sex act on him. He said fair enough," Miss Hingston said.

"Before that there had been nothing sexual, they were just friends. Nina Austin changed clothing and put on a negligee and performed oral sex on him. She produced the negligee from her bag."

Once they had finished she went to leave but White burst in saying he had filmed the whole thing on his mobile through a window in the door.

He turned on Miss Austin, kicking and punching her to the ground as she cried 'Don't hit me, don't hit me' to which he replied 'if you think I'm hitting you now wait until we get back'.

White then told the pensioner he knew he had given her £20 for the sex act saying 'Who do you think you are, that's my missus'.

He pushed the man on to a seat and when Miss Austin tried to intervene he punched her again.

White snarled 'If you think I am going away with £20 you've got another thing coming. You need to get me £100'.

If he didn't get the money he said he would take his phone, lap top and TV from him and assault him, so he handed over £80.

The following day Miss Austin came to the door in the evening to apologise, but White again burst in behind her.

He told him 'You thought last night was the finish of it,' adding 'it's finished when I say so' and demanded another £100 making him drive them to a cash machine to get it the day after he decided to call the police but noticed his phone had gone and again in the evening Miss Austin appeared at the door saying she was returning it.

After the previous night he wouldn't open the door and White then shouted there was child porn on the handset, which he said was untrue.

When the police caught up with White he tried to persuade Miss Austin to make a complaint that she had been sexually assaulted by the pensioner.

White, of Waggoner Close, Abbey Meads, admitted blackmail, actual bodily harm and the theft of £22.50 he snatched from a bus driver a couple of days before.

He has a long history of crime including robberies, criminal damage and weapons charges.

Tony Bignall, defending, said his client had a drug problem that was out of control at the time of the offences and called Miss Austin as a character witness.

She said they had been together for a year and she would stand by him when he is released as he was not normally violent saying both been using drugs and alcohol at the time.

Jailing him Recorder Ian Lawrie QC said: "Without a shadow of a doubt blackmail is a very, very, serious offence.

"The courts, when they approach sentencing in blackmail, always take the view there are few crimes more repugnant.

"It involves a threat against the integrity of a person, all against the background of a demand for money.

"You obviously thought this was an easy opportunity to draw some money from him. I have listened to Miss Austin, she is obviously a very forgiving woman.

"I have read the letter you have given the court. You must appreciate I have to treat some of its contents with an air of scepticism."