Burglar attacked pensioner and stole child's bike
Northumbria PoliceA burglar who attacked a pensioner in his home and stole a child's motorbike has been jailed for two and half years.
Lee Thompson, 46, forced his way into a couple's home in Sunderland, hit a man in the face during a scuffle and then left with the £1,000 toy, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
The couple said they had been left feeling annoyed, upset and vulnerable by the intrusion.
Thompson, who had a history of violence and dishonesty, admitted burglary and theft.
Thompson, a drug user from Roker, walked into the couple's home on 17 October saying their son owed him money, prosecutor Glenn Gatland said.
He was told to leave but a scuffle ensued between Thompson and a man, in which the victim suffered an injury to his face, the court heard.
'Didn't need this'
Thompson then left with a £1,000 child's motorbike, the court heard.
Police were called and Thompson was arrested nearby still in possession of the bike, the court heard.
In a statement read to the court, the victim's wife said they were "both pensioners" and did "not need this at this point of our lives".
She said she had been left feeling vulnerable and upset, while her husband said he was "annoyed" to be attacked over something that had nothing to do with him.
The court heard Thompson was a third-strike burglar with a history of dishonesty stretching back to 2002, and was jailed for more than four years in 2018 for false imprisonment and wounding.
