An elderly man has been left injured and shaken after masked thugs smashed into his flat to burgle him – for the fourth time in eight months.

Jack Newman, 81, who suffers from the debilitating lung condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, suffered cuts to his face and head after three men threw him to the floor while they ransacked his home in Brownswood Road, Finsbury Park, on April 15.

“I was just sitting reading the paper when three men came barging in and pushed me on the floor, which gave me painful carpet burns on my face and head,” he said.

“They were looking for drugs and thought there might be some here – they even tipped out all my medication looking for something but there was nothing.

“I just had to lie there and let them get on with it until they left. They had hoods and scarves over their faces so I couldn’t be much help to the police.”

A known drug dealer used to live nearby and Mr Newman suspects that the repeated break-ins are by former customers frustrated to find that she has moved.

On February 11 he was beaten up by a gang who made off with �300 and a DVD player, and a week later another two men broke in, but left when the retired steeplejack said he had nothing left to steal.

His computer was stolen when his home was burgled in September 2011.

Mr Newman was admitted to Homerton Hospital for five days after the latest break-in, because he says his health deteriorated due to fear and stress.

Although he’s since been released, he is now confined to a wheelchair.

Mr Newman has now spent nearly �100 on security with two new locks for his door.

“I’m starting to get over it now,” he said, “because I know they can’t get in anymore.”

n Anyone with information should call Acting Sgt Daniel Bage on 020 8721 2030.