A COWARDLY masked robber threatened a disabled Tadcaster man with a screwdriver before stealing his benefit cash.

The balaclava-wearing teenager kicked down the front door of Derek Napier's ground-floor flat and demanded money.

But Mr Napier, 38, who has great difficulty moving, refused to let him pass.

The man then pulled out a screwdriver and threatened to stab Mr Napier before pushing him to the floor.

Mr Napier told the Evening Press: "He told me to get out of the way but I would not move so he pushed me over.

"It takes me a long time to get back up again and by the time I did he had run off."

The robber made off with a substantial amount of cash at about 1am on Sunday morning.

Mr Napier, who has suffered from Huntington's Chorea for ten years, is not very mobile and said it took him five minutes to get his feet.

The money included Mr Napier's disability allowance and other benefits.

Mr Napier was unhurt but badly shaken in the attack and said: "I want this person caught.

"It's disgusting what they did. I'm terrified and I dare not go outside in case they come back.

"I just hope they catch him and he goes to prison for a long time because he deserves it.

"I'm sickened by people who attack elderly people but you never know what it's like until it happens to you."

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police described the attack as an "unsavoury incident."

Police are now hunting the attacker and have issued a description of him.

The man was in his late teens and wore a green balaclava, a brown fleece jacket and light coloured jeans.

Anyone who saw anything is asked to telephone DC Pete Masterman of Selby CID on 01904 669653 or PC Nigel Woodhead on 01904 669722.

Updated: 09:25 Saturday, January 26, 2002