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Householder hit knife-carrying burglar with bottle of wine
Jailed ... Sam Richardson, locked up for 20 months.
A BRAVE house-holder foiled a knife-carrying burglar he found hiding in a cupboard in his South Tyneside home – and hit him over the head with a wine bottle.
The man and his wife had been disturbed by a noise as they slept in their home, in Nicholas Avenue, Whitburn.
When they came downstairs to investigate, one of the raiders, Joshua Wigham, 19, was scared off and ran away.
But as the couple searched their home to find out what was missing they found a second intruder, Sam Richardson, 18, hiding in a cupboard clutching a knife.
The startled husband then hit Richardson with a wine bottle and kept him at the house until the police got there.
Now the couple say they have been so traumatised by their ordeal last July they are considering moving out of the house they have lived in for the last decade.
Emma Dowling, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: “Sam Richardson was holding a knife which had been taken from a block on a bench in the kitchen.
“He was holding the knife with its handle pointed down. There is no suggestion he made any attempt to threaten him, but the householder did feel apprehensive and he hit him on the head with a bottle of wine he had in his hand and detained him.”
Richardson and Wigham, both of Westcliffe Road, Sunderland, both admitted burlgary. Neither of them have been in trouble before.
The court heard the couple have added extra security to their home since the break-in.
The woman told police: “I no longer feel safe in my own home, the home I have lived with my family for 10 years.
“We have replaced internal doors and installed CCTV, but to be honest, we will possibly move house due to the impact of what happend that night, which I never contemplated before this.”
Christopher Rose, defending, said Richardson had picked up the knife inside the house and had no intention of using it.
Mr Rose said: “There was a knife on the sideboard and he picked it up.
“He then went and hid in the cupboard.
“He didn’t arm himself with the intention of attacking or threatening the occupant.
“He was scared, he thought he himself was going to be attacked.
“He had it to ward off the occupants.”
Mr Justice Coulson sentenced Richardson to 20 months behind bars.
The judge said: “You were holding a knife you had taken from the kitchen, and the blade was pointing down.
“You didn’t use the knife to threaten the householder, but understandably he felt threatened in his own home, seeing a stranger with a knife in his hand.
“His wife was terrified.”
Wigham, who prosecutors accept played a minor role in the raid and was unaware his accomplice had picked up the knife, was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 120 hours unpaid work.
The court heard the pair had been “garden hopping” that night after a visit to the amusement arcade when they came across the house, which they believed was empty as it was undergoing renovation.
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Weather for Jarrow
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
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Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
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