An armed burglar was told he would serve extra prison time after he called a judge a "cowardly b***h".

Steven Burns, 25, was part of a trio who beat and robbed an elderly couple in their home in Lafayette, Indiana.

The gang threatened the homeowners, hit the 76-year-old husband in the head with a gun and escaped with credit cards, cash and valuable items, WLFI reported.

The items, including a watch and a ring, were later recovered after a standoff with police.

Burns was found guilty in November on 14 of 15 counts relating to the burglary and was sentenced to 70 years in prison on Tuesday.