A Southampton man has been jailed for six and a half years for burgling properties with a firearm and a baseball bat.

In one incident two victims were hit with a hammer by Simmonds.

The 22-year-old, of Swaythling Road, previously admitted two charges of aggravated burglary.

In the early hours of the morning on September 8, 2024, Simmonds entered a property on Simeon Street in Ryde on the Isle of Wight.

He was wearing a balaclava and was armed with a baseball bat, using it to smash the door and enter the house.

The victims saw the 22-year-old and two others on their Ring doorbell camera, and one victim armed themselves with a hammer.

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The victim chased Simmonds and the others from the property but was hit by a projectile fired from a BB gun.

On September 15, a 19-year-old man met Simmonds on Wavell Way in Winchester to sell him a vape.

The victim got into a car with Simmonds and two others, where he was threatened with what he believed to be a handgun and told they were taking him to his house to take everything.

The victim was driven to his address on Cobbett Close, where he was shot in the chest with a BB gun.

During the burglary, the victim and another resident of the property was hit with a hammer by Simmonds.

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Officers tracked the vehicle used through CCTV and Simmonds was arrested at his home address.

Two BB guns, a silencer, a hammer, and a notebook containing plans for the Simeon Street burglary were seized.

Police Staff Investigator Michael Longmore said: “This was an incredibly frightening incident which left the occupants of the targeted property understandably very distressed.

“Burglary, particularly aggravated burglary, can be extremely upsetting and traumatic for victims, and I am pleased that Simmonds has now been brought to justice and will serve time in prison for what he has done.

"I hope that this sentence brings some closure to those involved and reassures the community that we are committed to bringing those who commit burglary to justice."