A MAN has been jailed for his part in a burglary which saw a vulnerable mum assaulted and her newborn baby's life threatened.

Thomas Flynn, aged 24 and of no fixed abode, appeared before Mold Crown Court on Thursday for sentencing.

He'd previously admitted his involvement in the burglary, which happened at a home in Llys y Groes in Wrexham on September 7 this year.

Ryan Rothwell, prosecuting, told the court Berinder Dhaliwal was at her home with her newborn baby on the day of the incident.

There was a knock at the door at about 2.30pm - later confirmed to have been Flynn - but she didn't answer.

CCTV showed him returning to the stolen Volkswagen Golf he had arrived in along with three other men.

As he returned to the vehicle, the three men went to Mrs Dhaliwal's home and broke in via the back patio door.

She came to the landing carrying her baby and was confronted by the men, who were wearing surgical masks. One was carrying a weapon, thought to be a screwdriver or something similar.

The first man snatched a gold chain from her neck and pushed her into her bedroom, where her wedding ring was taken.

Demanding gold, the men took and rolled her baby onto the bed before punching her to the face and the abdomen.

Mr Rothwell said she sustained a chipped tooth and severe pain where she'd been punched in the abdomen, as she'd had her baby delivered by cesarean section.

The man with the weapon threatened to kill Mrs Dhaliwal's baby if she didn't give them gold.

Terrified, she told them where she kept her valuables and the men ransacked the area before leaving hastily.

In the bags they took, there was a huge amount of jewellery, Mr Rothwell said.

Flynn was arrested in Wrexham town centre an hour later and was found to be in possession of a gold earring belonging to the victim.

In a personal statement, taken by video and shown to the court, Mrs Dhaliwal, said the incident had left her feeling unsafe in her own home and worrying that people would kill her baby.

She said "every single noise" made her feel that someone was there again and she does not feel comfortable leaving her baby alone at any time.

The three men who entered the home, attacked Mrs Dhaliwal and took her belongings are yet to be caught, the court heard.

Mr Rothwell said her baby was fortunately uninjured in the incident.

Paul Smith, defending, said: "Nothing I say is meant to suggest that the victims have suffered anything other than an extremely serious and traumatic offence.

"He recognises there will be serious consequences for the family for a long time and he is horrified at what happened in the house."

Judge Rhys Rowlands described Flynn as a "serial burglar of people's homes" due to his record and said his role in the operation had been to "case the joint" and then act as a lookout while the other members of the group went inside the house.

"This was a targeted and professionally planned burglary of someone's house seeking gold," he said.

"The victim sustained injuries at the hands of others - she was subjected to the most appalling ordeal.

"You weren't there - either threatening or using violence - but those who were, I hope, will be brought before the courts to receive their just desserts."

Flynn was jailed for four years and two months.