A BLACKMAILER who terrified his school friend into handing over his savings showed no emotion as he was jailed for two years.

Ryan Roberts denied threatening Thomas Chambers for cash and beating him in his car when he turned up empty-handed on December 12 last year.

But jurors rejected claims he would never harm his friend and unanimously convicted him at Oxford Crown Court today.

Jailing the father-of-two, Deputy Circuit Judge Patrick Eccles QC condemned the 27-year-old for taking advantage of ‘vulnerable’ Mr Chambers, who has autism.

He added: “It’s worrying that you have within you the capacity to instil fear and use violence.”

During the trial, Mr Chambers told the court the defendant would pester him for money during phone calls, complaining he owed others cash. 

He said on one occasion he was forced to go to the bank but it was closed, and was attacked by Roberts when he returned without the money. 

In a statement read to the court, the victim revealed he is frightened to bump into the defendant and found it difficult understand why his friend would blackmail him.

He said he cannot forget the ordeal, adding: “At the time Ryan was taking money from me, it was horrendous. I never expected any of this to happen.”

Roberts, of St Annes Court, Didcot, took the stand during his trial, claiming the pair owed a drug dealer cash.

He was also handed a restraining order and must pay a victim surcharge.