A woman was permanently disabled after jumping from a three-storey flat to escape burglars threatening to slit her throat, Harrow Crown Court has heard. Patricia Osie-Assiby was staying with family members at a flat in Hendon, north London, when the burglars struck.

Eric Damoa, 29, and Nigel Prescod, 26, both from east London, deny charges of aggravated burglary in August 2005.

Mr Damoa and three others deny threatening Miss Osie-Assiby's relatives with a gun, three days later.

The court was told Miss Osie-Assiby came to the UK from Italy for a teacher-training course and was staying with her cousins when the first burglary happened.

Lyall Thompson, prosecuting, said she was "beside herself with fear" and pointed them to another room to look for money before jumping.

"She opened the bedroom window, climbed out to sit on the window sill and jumped... She must have felt she had more chance of survival by jumping out of the window."

The burglars fled, but Mr Damoa returned three days later with others and this time threatened the family, including a 13-year-old girl, with a gun, jurors heard.

Miss Osie-Assiby fractured three vertebrae in her back and has been left wheelchair-bound. She has since returned to Italy.

Mr Prescod, of Hackney, and Mr Damoa, of Canning Town, both deny a charge of false imprisonment.

Frank Agyeman, 30, of Leytonstone, east London, and Charles Antwi, 31, of Pinner, west London, are also charged with aggravated burglary.

Mr Agyeman faces a charge of false imprisonment and Mr Antwi is also charged with perverting the course of justice.

Daniel Mooney has admitted his part in the burglary on 17 August.