THE family of a disabled man who was attacked and robbed in his home have described the sentences given to his attackers as shocking.

John Toal was left unconscious after Jason Kirkby and Angela Ryan burst into his Prestonpans home and put a noose around his neck, telling him they were going to kill him.

Callous Ryan, who was jailed on Tuesday for four years for her part in the terrifying robbery told police, when confronted with what she had done: “So ****ing what?”

READ MORE: Disabled man thought he was going to die as robbers put noose round his neck

Mr Toal’s sister Margaret Bates told the Courier she was horrified by the sentences given to Ryan and Kirkby, who was jailed for five years.

And she said her brother had been let down by the justice system.

Margaret said: “We were not informed that the case was even being heard at the court so had no opportunity to be there for John or to make sure his voice was heard.

“The sentence given to his attackers is absolutely shocking, as a family we are devastated. I want to appeal against the sentences. John has been let down by the justice system, he was not represented, it is a terrible way to treat someone.”

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that two days before the attack, which happened in August, Ryan, 36, had visited Mr Toal asking for money to pay a utility bill.

She saw him open a cash box using a key he kept around his neck.

She returned in the middle of the night with Kirkby, 44, bursting into Mr Toal’s home and robbing him.

The court heard that Mr Toal, 58, who suffered a severe brain injury as a child and is unable to walk without a Zimmer frame, fell into unconsciousness after rope was put around his neck.

He heard a male voice say “we’re going to kill you” and “make sure you make it really tight”.

“The victim believed he was going to be murdered,” advocate depute Jim Keegan QC said.

“The attack was to the danger of his life and it was very fortunate that the ligature was not directly around the neck.”

When he came round, the cash box was emptied and the key which had been around his neck was gone.

Ryan’s own defence counsel described the robbery as a “horrible and brutish crime”.

The court heard that twice before, including just three days before the August 21 attack, concerns had been raised with police about visits Ryan and her sister were making to Mr Toal’s home.

Mr Keegan said Mr Toal had been classified as lonely and vulnerable and was “prone to giving money to individuals in an attempt to gain friendship”.

He said: “He has told his carers that he would like to have a relationship with a female, but due to his disabilities he has been unable to find a partner. His carers have opined that as a result of this he is particularly susceptible to being taken advantage of.”

The court was told that Ryan and Kirkby – who pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Toal to his severe injury and endangering his life, as well as robbery – wore balaclavas when they entered his home.

Police searched Ryan’s home on Preston Road, Prestonpans, following the robbery and found a length of rope similar to the one used on Mr Toal and £2,300 in cash.

An anonymous call led officers to a house in Tranent, where they discovered Ryan and Kirkby hiding in a wardrobe and more than £2,400. In total, £5,117 was recovered following the robbery.

Ryan’s defence counsel said she was a drug user and had “as a matter of choice” started using crack cocaine 18 months ago; Kirkby was described as a heroin addict, while his lawyer said he was “pretty appalled” by his actions.

Sentencing the pair, Lady Scott said it was a violent and heartless robbery of a very vulnerable and significantly disabled man, saying: “This robbery was planned. You went late at night, with faces masked and a rope.

“This assault was to the real danger of your victim’s life and he thought he was going to die.”

Ryan turned and winked to a man in the public benches after she was jailed.

The judge told Ryan that she would have faced a six-year sentence but for her guilty plea, and Kirkby, who had a more serious criminal record, seven years.

A Crown Office spokesperson said the pair had pleaded guilty early, leading to a quick disposal of the case, but said Mr Toal had been informed of the court date and a victim impact statement had been sent to the court.

His sister Mrs Bates, who lives in the Isle of Skye, said the family wanted the sentence increased.

She said: “We have asked for more help for John for years. We have warned this was going to happen. He has brain damage and makes the wrong decisions.

“We are shocked and disgusted that we were not even told the sentencing was happening.”