Jack Newman, at his house in Finsbury Park 28 Feb 2012

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 (COPD), 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.

One of Mr Newman’s neighbours was a known drug dealer, who was eventually evicted after a police raid, and Mr Newman believes the repeated break-ins at his flat are her former customers who fly into a rage when they find her gone.

In February, the Gazette revealed how Mr Newman was targeted twice that month – he had been beaten up on February 11 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 this month, because he says his health deteriorated due to fear and stress – and although he’s since been released, he is now confined to a wheelchair.

“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.”

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

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

A spokeswoman for Hackney Police said: “Brownswood Safer Neighbourhood Team are aware of the problems and are currently working with Mr Newman to resolve these issues.”

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