A brother and sister have been locked up after a man was stabbed and left with a punctured lung during an attempted robbery at his home.

Bret and Ieasha Gilham, who between them have more than 100 crimes to their names, attacked their victim after Bret knocked at his door claiming there had been a collision between two vehicles.

He then pushed his way in, demanding money and drugs as the occupant of the flat tried to ward him off with a metal pole and a pair of scissors.

Maidstone Crown Court was told however that in response to her younger brother's cry for help as he was hit, a shocked and panicking Ieasha Gilham, having picked up a knife, acted "instinctively" as she too came under attack.

A doorbell camera captured their victim fleeing his home in Hawkinge with the back of his t-shirt drenched in blood as the pair ran away.

But screenshots from the footage matched the police facial recognition database, leading to the discovery of bloodstained clothing and the blade at 40-year-old Ieasha Gilham's home and then her eventual arrest.

Her 36-year-old brother was traced through the car he had been using that night and was apprehended three days later at a Premier Inn hotel.

Their victim, in the meantime, had to be airlifted to a London hospital with what was initially believed to be a life-threatening injury.

However, on further assessment it was discovered that although his lung had been punctured, no chest drain was needed. His wound was simply cleaned and stitched and he was discharged the next day.

Ieasha Gilham subsequently pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and having a bladed article, while Bret Gilham admitted attempted robbery.

But despite not being the one who actually inflicted the knife wound, he was handed the longer spell behind bars after the judge explained it would not have occurred if he had not gone to the victim's home planning to rob him.

His sister was said to be unaware that that was his intent when he had called at her home on the evening of March 24 last year, told her there had been a "minor incident" between his vehicle and another, and then asked her to go with him to "resolve" the matter.

Prosecutor Claire Stevenson told the sentencing hearing on Friday that the pair were then captured on the Ring camera as Bret Gilham knocked at the home of his victim in Page Road just after 7.30pm.

The man opened the door to be asked by Bret "Evening mate, do you own a Land Rover?", before claiming that he had "knocked into it".

When the homeowner could be heard on the audio questioning "What? You have? You banged into my Land Rover?", Gilham twice repeated "Yeah".

But it was as the victim went to close his door to put it on the latch that dad-of-three Bret pushed his way in, followed by his sister.

The court heard the homeowner picked up a metal pole and every time Bret Gilham went towards him "thrusting a knife" and telling him to "put it down", the victim hit him on the arm, said the prosecutor.

Undeterred, however, Bret began to demand "Where's the money? Where are the drugs?", and continued towards the victim, who replied he only had "a little bit of weed".

Ms Stevenson told the court that it was accepted by the prosecution that Ieasha Gilham was "in shock" at her brother's actions, feared for his safety during the confrontation and had picked up a kitchen knife from the floor.

"She saw [the victim] hitting her brother with the metal pole so instinctively followed him into the address," explained the prosecutor

"She went into the living room and saw the victim still had the metal pole as well as a pair of scissors. Her brother was being hit and he called out for her to help.

"She grabbed the victim's arm, he shrugged her off, then hit her with the pole and went for her with the scissors.

"She instinctively hit [the victim] in a panic because she was fearful for her brother's safety, but she accepts her brother had pursued the victim."

The court was told the homeowner could feel his back was wet as well as a "bubbling sensation".

In the doorbell footage showing him leaving his flat, his back soaked in blood, and going to a neighbour's as the Gilhams fled, the victim could also be heard telling his attackers, who he did not know, that they were "on camera", to which one replied "We know".

Both gave 'No comment' interviews following their arrests.

Ieasha Gilham, of Dickinson Terrace, Hawkinge, has 21 previous convictions for 50 offences and, although the vast majority are for theft and shoplifting, they include two of battery.

Her brother, of Heartenoak Road, Hawkhurst, has 29 previous convictions for 57 offences, including battery and robbery.

Gemma Noble, defending Ieasha Gilham, told the court that although there was an element of "excessive self-defence" in her actions that night, it was accepted she had used the knife found inside the victim's home.

"She has expressed remorse. She is genuinely apologetic that [the victim] was injured and it was not something when she went to his home that she intended," added Ms Noble.

The court also heard how the mum-of-one had now kicked her long-term heroin addiction, and had made such efforts while in prison on remand that she had become a listener for the Samaritans and even stood in for a tutor during an English class.

Dale Beeson, defending Bret Gilham, said the "family man" regretted his actions and was genuinely remorseful.

His work with the Shannon Trust to help fellow inmates with literacy skills had also resulted in him being considered "responsible and well-respected", the court heard.

Jailing Ieasha Gilham for three years and nine months, Recorder Christine Wilson told her she accepted that the use of the "highly dangerous" weapon had been "an instinctive reaction".

"You were looking to protect your brother and had gone to the property not knowing he was intending to carry out a robbery while he was there," the judge added.

But on locking up Bret Gilham for six years, of which he must serve two-thirds before he can be released, Recorder Wilson told him: "You didn't yourself inflict any injuries with a knife but without you telling your sister to accompany you to the property where [the victim] was living, there would not have been any injury to him."