Man, 75, left burglar bloodied as he used glass bottle to fend off ‘terrifying’ break-in

A burglar who was hit over the head with a glass bottle when he broke into a pensioner’s house has been jailed for two years.

Shamus Doyle entered the 75-year-old man’s property in Newark in the early hours of 19 February.

The home owner woke up and, fearing for his safety, confronted the burglar downstairs and clobbered him over the head with the bottle.

Doyle fled the scene but came back shortly after and threatened the man with a brick, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

When the pensioner told him police were on the way, he chucked it through the living room window.

Police found the bloodied burglar nearby and arrested him.

He denied the break-in and claimed he had been in a fight in a park, but CCTV and blood at the house contradicted his story.

Doyle, 34, later admitted burglary, criminal damage and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

He was jailed for two years and 174 days at Nottingham Crown Court last week.

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“Burglary is an intrusive crime anyway, but for Doyle to subject a man aged in his 70s to a terrifying ordeal like this is truly shocking,” said Detective Constable Phil James, of Nottinghamshire Police.

“The victim demonstrated incredible bravery in confronting Doyle and was understandably affected by the events of that night.

“Despite this, he managed to display great resilience in assisting us with our investigation and I hope this sentence brings him some comfort.”