Brave pensioner fought burglar

A BRAVE pensioner valiantly fought back when a brazen burglar suddenly walked into his home, grabbed a television and violently pushed him away in a desperate bid to flee.

But the plucky have-a-go householder was determined not to let him escape and repeatedly grabbed hold of the intruder to stop him escaping, a court heard.

Kye Evans, 24, of Langton Drive, Grimsby, admitted burglary, criminal damage and obstructing police on June 1.

Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Thomas Devaney, 68, was watching television at his home in the early hours when an intruder walked in to the lounge, sat down next to him and started watching the television without saying a word.

Without warning, he said: "I'm taking the telly" but Mr Devaney bravely tried to stop him doing so.

Evans pushed him against the settee, causing him to lose his footing, and he grabbed the television. He headed towards the door of the house in Crowle Drive, Grimsby, but Mr Devaney grabbed him around the waist to stop him moving. Evans broke free but Mr Devaney grabbed him and both men lost their balance.

Evans dropped the TV, picked up a glass candle and warned the pensioner: "If you get back up, I'm going to glass you with this."

Mr Devaney was determined that Evans "would not get away with it" and showed "quite remarkable presence of mind".

He locked both the front door and the back door from the outside with Evans inside and alerted a neighbour, who raised the alarm.

Evans smashed his way out of a kitchen window, injuring himself and leaving himself with a bloody face. He was found outside.

The neighbour stopped him leaving but Evans, in a "spiteful and deliberate" act of revenge, stood on the television and smashed it.

Evans was treated in hospital for a head wound and tried to run away.

He was arrested and a police officer suffered injuries during a confrontation.

Richard Hackfath, mitigating, said Evans "felt very bad" about the burglary, acted out of character and had later expressed concern for the pensioner.

"He considers he has gone beyond the pale on this occasion," said Mr Hackfath.

"He wasn't out to burgle or pick upon a vulnerable member of society."

Evans claimed he "didn't know what he was doing" because he had been drinking and taking MCat. He was "guilt-ridden" and very remorseful and had been out of trouble for about three years.

Judge David Tremberg told Evans that most burglars avoided confrontations with householders but he continued to stay there and later used and threatened violence.

He caused "gratuitous" damage to the pensioner's television "just out of spite".

Evans, who had convictions for 36 previous offences, was jailed for two years and eight months.