Armed raider threatened to stab Geordie Shore star Sophie Kasaei during attempted robbery at celeb's South Shields home

Serial criminal Ryan Larson, who was wearing dark, hooded clothing and carrying a cardboard box, bruised the star's arm and threatened to stab her and her housekeeper with a screwdriver when he got inside the house.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that the 27-year-old demanded access to a safe at the property in South Shields but the brave star, who was one of the first cast members on the MTV show, managed to fight him off.

Larson, who had "staring eyes" and appeared high during the raid, took a £300 Versace shirt with him when he left with no cash after the reality star managed to run outside and raise the alarm.

The raider, who had claimed to be a hardman named Stephen Sayers with a car full of people with him as back-up, was collared by a vital clue - he left behind the box he was carrying as a prop to get in, which had his girlfriend's address printed on.

In a victim statement, which was read to the court, Miss Kasaei, 28, said: "I was extremely scared by what I saw. I thought he might stab either of us to get money.

"I saw my life flash before my eyes. I have never felt like that in my entire life."

Larson, of Henderson Road, South Shields, admitted aggravated burglary and attempted robbery and has now been branded "dangerous" and jailed for the protection of the public.

Prosecutor Jolyon Perks told the court Larson had turned up at the house in South Shields on December 27 last year and knocked at the front and back door before he returned to the front, where housekeeper Alison McDonald answered.

Mr Perks said: "Sophie Kasaei came to the top of the stairs.

"On opening the door Miss McDonald saw this defendant was holding a cardboard box. She was led to believe, as he clearly intended, that he was delivering a parcel and she went to take hold of the box from him.

"He, however, pushed his way into the address, pushed her back into the hallway.

"He was shouting 'give me the money, do you know who I am?'"

The court heard Larson had claimed Miss Kasaei's brother, who also lives at the house, owed him money and that he had a car full of people outside.

Mr Perks added: "At this point, Miss McDonald saw the defendant was armed with a screwdriver.

"Miss Kasaei ran downstairs to help her housekeeper.

"At this point, the defendant demanded access to the safe he said he believed was upstairs.

"Both complainants by now were at the bottom of the stairs, trying to restrict his access to the property but both were clearly very afraid of the fact he was brandishing a weapon.

"He pushed past Miss McDonald and Miss Kasaei as he made his way upstairs.

"In doing so, he took hold of Miss Kasaei's forearm, gripping it tightly, which afterwards left her with bruising.

"He was still brandishing the screwdriver, shouting and aggressive.

"He told them 'I'm going to stab you, get the safe, get the money'.

"She continued to fight against him to prevent him gaining access.

"Miss Kasaei managed to break free form his grip and ran past him into the street where she began to shout for someone to help them."

The court heard Larson dumped the Versace shirt he had picked up at the house and left the box he had been carrying.

Mr Perks said: "The defendant was traced because he used a cardboard box which had his girlfriend's address on it.

"Police arrested him the following morning, at his girlfriend's address."

Mr Perks said Larson, who has convictions for 28 previous offences and was on a suspended sentence for battery at the time, knew who lived at the house when he targeted it.

He added: "Miss Kasaei, at the time of the offence and ongoing, is a reality television star.

"Quite clearly her status would have been known to this defendant."

Jane Foley, defending, said Larson has had a drug problem since he was 13 and had been ordered by a thug who had previously put him in hospital to carry out the raid to settle a £5,000 debt.

Miss Foley said: "He was to commit the offence to steal money so that his debt could be written off.

"It was the same man that had stabbed him and injured him to his head, resulting in him being put on life support and having his spleen removed.

"He told him if he was to do this he would write-off the debt and he wouldn't be injured."

Miss Foley added that Larson is now sorry.

Judge Robert Adams sentenced Larson to six years and eight months behind bars with a three year extended licence period.

The judge said Larson poses as "significant risk of causing serious harm to members of the public" and has not learned his lesson from previous prison sentences.

Judge Adams told him: "You must have terrified the two women in the premises. Very high value goods were targeted.

"You knew full-well who the occupant of the house was. You said apparently you were Stephen Sayers and had there was a car outside full of people."