A MOTHER-OF-TWO was robbed of cash and jewellery by two men in balaclavas who smashed their way into her home at night, a jury heard today.

Zara Shah was restrained while the family home in Sewell Road, Laisterdyke, Bradford, was searched by the intruders who fled with £1,900, two watches, jewellery and a handbag. Neighbours chased the robbers, seizing hold of one, who lost his yellow baseball cap when he struggled free, prosecutor Anthony Moore told Bradford Crown Court.

Marcus Ibbotson, 38, of Bromley Street, Batley, has pleaded not guilty to the robbery, on March 13 this year.

The jury was told that DNA from the baseball cap matched his and forensically examined prints from training shoes were similar to a pair seized from Ibbotson by police.

Ibbotson told the court he knew nothing at all about the robbery.

Mr Moore said two masked men knocked on Mrs Shah’s door at 8.50pm. Her husband was out at the time and her two young children were in the house with her.

The men smashed their way into the house by kicking in the bottom panel of the door, demanding ‘Hand over your jewellery, hand over your cash’, said Mr Moore.

Mrs Shah was held by the arm while the second intruder seized valuables from the house.

A woman neighbour saw one of the robbers crawling out of the property through the broken door, the court was told.

Mr Moore said two brothers, who lived nearby, gave chase.

They managed to grab one of the men but he struggled free and made off, losing his baseball cap.

The woman neighbour kept an eye on the cap lying in the road until the police arrived.

Ibbotson, a plasterer’s assistant, was arrested on suspicion of the robbery on May 21.

He told the police he visited Bradford because his mother lived in Holme Wood.

Ibbotson told the jury he was short of money and bought his clothes from car boot sales and charity shops.

He said he had been robbed of money, tobacco and items of clothing by robbers who burst into his home about two months before the Bradford robbery and slapped him about.

He denied learning the Urdu for ‘Give me the money’ in order to target an Asian family’s home where there might be jewellery.

“I am not responsible for any actions of robbery at all,” he said.

The trial continues.