THE son of a war hero was robbed of his father’s medals and hundreds of pounds at gun point by an armed gang.

The victim, who lived in a shared house in Basildon, was robbed by Faye Ardley, 35, Michael Hayes, 36, and another woman in May last year.

The trio ambushed the victim, luring him outside his home before forcing their way inside with a “pistol” and threatening him.

Prosecuting, Marc Brown said: “At about 5pm on May 5 the victim’s housemate told him there was a girl outside to see him. When he went to the door Ardley and other woman and Hayes were there.

“The women barged past him and Ardley had what looked like a pistol tucked into her trousers. Ardley said to him ‘you don’t want to die here’.”

Ardley,of Longbow, Southend, was jailed for five years, while Hayes, of Travers Way, Pitsea, is due to be sentenced in August after admitting perverting the course of justice.

The victim described the weapon as a black chunky pistol.

Mr Brown added: “He told them he didn’t have any money and the other woman slapped him and he then said he has £300 for rent.

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“They asked him if he wanted to die again and then found the money in a suitcase, then Ardley pointed to a safe, she asked again if he wanted to be shot, he opened the safe and they found a box with his father’s war medals.”

The victim handed over £40 and was taken to cash points and withdrew £180.

Mitigating for Ardley, Charlie Conway said: “She suffers from an extremely serious thyroid condition and is due to have an operation soon.

“She’s also only had very limited contact and visits with her children and mother while in custody. This is something she bitterly regrets and addiction is behind her offending.

Sentencing Ardley, judge Graham Hurst said: “You are now 35 and admitted robbery which included possession of an imitation fire arm.

“This whole incident lasted about 45 to 60 minutes. You have a large number of previous convictions but nothing like this matter.”

Ardley was jailed and handed a restraining order