Raider threatened to kill star's children

A drug addict who terrorised millionaire soccer star Juan Sebastian Veron in his home and threatened to kill his young family is facing a life sentence.

Wayne Harley, 35, stole jewellery and other items worth up to £70,000 after breaking into the home of the £15million Chelsea signing brandishing a foot-long machete and threatening to kill their two children.

He forced Veron's wife, Maria Vinaccia, to take off her wedding ring. The 29-year-old Argentine captain, his wife and their children, aged two and three, were forced to put pillowcases over their heads before Harley bundled them into a bathroom.

He made his getaway from the £2.5 million house in Barnes in a white van, but did not get far before crashing into a bollard and losing consciousness at the wheel.

Police found him with Gucci and Cartier jewellery, cash and mobi le phones, and he was arrested less than three hours after the break-in.

Harley admitted one charge of aggravated burglary when he appeared at Kingston Crown Court yesterday.

Judge Charles Tilling told Harley, who has previous convictions for burglary and aggravated burglary and has tied up a victim in the past: "This is a crime carrying a maximum of life imprisonment."

Philip Bennetts, prosecuting, told how Harley climbed through a window of Veron's home on 11 January and made his way into the bedroom of the footballer's mother and aunt. Mr

Bennetts said: "He demanded money and jewellery, banging his machete on the bed."

He added that after taking money and jewellery and threatening to harm the children, Harley entered the Verons' bedroom as they slept. Their children were in a room nearby. Mr Bennetts said: "Veron and his wife awoke when the lights went on and they saw the defendant had the same machete in his hand. He told them not to do anything strange or he would kill the children."

As he made his demands the couple's daughter came into the room, and Veron was told to fetch their three-year-old son. "He told them to put pillows over their faces, which they did. "In total he stole between £60,000-70,000 in jewellery, watches and some mobile telephones."

Harley, of Chobham Gardens, Wimbledon, is due to be sentenced today.