A 'CRUEL and mean' neighbour who attacked a disabled pensioner in his own home while demanding money from him, has been jailed for 18 months.

Andrejs Visockis left Ronnie Greenwood, 74, crying and shaking after pinning him down on the settee at his flat in Welham Walk, Undercliffe, Bradford.

Visockis, 32, who lived in a neighbouring property, saw Mr Greenwood as "a soft touch" after befriending him on a bus, Bradford Crown Court heard.

The vulnerable pensioner was left with bruising to his arms after Visockis demanded he loan him £20 on April 7 last year and then took the money from his wallet.

He would borrow sums of £10 or £20 from the pensioner and pay it back three days later when he had been paid.

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Mr Greenwood had grown tired of the arrangement and turned Visocki down, the court heard.

Visockis alleged he and Mr Greenwood argued about the issue of Eastern European workers coming to the UK to take British people's jobs.

He denied asking Mr Greenwood for money or taking any from him.

Last month, a jury convicted Visockis of causing Mr Greenwood actual bodily harm but cleared him of robbery.

Mr Greenwood had previously suffered two strokes and a heart attack. He had difficulty with speaking and mobility and cried when he told the police his dog had been kicked in the struggle with Visockis.

A victim impact statement from Mr Greenwood's son said the pensioner was now scared to go out, no longer walked his dog and did not go to his working men's club to see his friends.

Visockis' barrister, Stephen Uttley, conceded that the offence passed the custody threshold.

The defendant had failed to attend to see a probation officer while on bail awaiting sentence and he had committed another offence by stealing tools from a van.

He was a drug addict but in full time employment, Mr Uttley said.

Visockis came to to UK from Latvia in 2009, the court heard. His wife had since returned to their homeland and he was living with a girlfriend at the time of the assault.

Judge Mark Savill said Visockis betrayed Mr Greenwood's friendship and had shown no remorse.

"This was a cruel and mean offence and would outrage decent members of the public," he said.

Visockis's behaviour towards the pensioner was despicable.

"He was physically and emotionally frail. A highly vulnerable victim," the judge said.