A burglar who armed himself with a wrench and barged into the home of a terrified Strood couple has been jailed for 34 months.

But Mark Cackett is likely to be free within a month after he gave evidence at the trial of his alleged knife-wielding accomplice and served more than a year on remand.

One of the 34-year-old's victims was disabled and broke her wrist as she fled. The couple were so traumatised by the ordeal they felt unable to return home and have since moved.

Despite this and Cackett's co-accused subsequently being acquitted by a jury of any involvement in the break-in, a judge described his decision to help police after his arrest as "responsible and brave".

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said he was able to reduce what would have been a prison term of eight years to four, plus a further deduction of 14 months for pleading guilty.

Cackett, a father-of-three of no fixed address, only has to serve half his sentence, minus 487 days already served awaiting his fate.

The former South Eastern Water employee admitted aggravated burglary at the home of Donald and Sharon Burgess in Carnation Road on March 31, last year.

victim donald burgess told police he was “extremely scared” during the ordeal and feared for his wife’s safety.
mrs burgess is paralysed down her right-hand side from a stroke eight years ago and has suffered a heart attack.
her speech and mobility are also impaired. she broke her left wrist as she tried to escape from her home.
mrs burgess told police: “my legs were like jelly and wobbly and as i got to the path at the front of my house my legs gave way and i fell on my arm. the pain was excruciating.”
she managed to get to her feet and flee to a neighbour’s property.
she said: “i feared for my life and that of my husband and friends, and feeling that is horrific.”

'i feared for my life – it was horrific’

The couple were entertaining friends when two masked men - one of them Cackett - knocked at the door and barged in.

Prosecutor Martin Yale told Maidstone Crown Court that Cackett was armed with a wrench and his accomplice with a knife. He said Cackett began demanding money and cigarettes.

"Mr Burgess told them he had no money, but they persisted," he said. "His wife began to panic and tried to escape, but because of her poor health ended up falling and breaking her wrist."

The two raiders fled with two mobile phones and cigarettes. One of the phones and the wrench were later found when Cackett was arrested at his girlfriend's house.

Cackett initially denied any involvement, but later confessed and agreed to give evidence at his co-accused's trial. He also told police where they would find the mask he had used.

Passing sentence, Judge Griffith-Jones said the Burgess' lives had been "devastated" and added: "This was on any view a mean and wicked offence. You burgled and subjected your victims in their home with two guests to what was bound to have been a terrifying ordeal.

"All this just for some cigarettes and a couple of mobile phones." However, the judge continued that it was "greatly to his credit" that he helped the police, "albeit that the jury was not persuaded, or persuaded to a sufficient standard, and returned a verdict of not guilty".

Cackett committed the offence while homeless and living in a hostel after losing his job.

He was drinking heavily and knew victim Donald Burgess sold cigarettes from his home.

Louise Oakley, defending, said Cackett decided to help police as he felt guilty about what he had done.

She said his reason for implicating childhood friend Gavin Baker, 34, of James Street, Gillingham, was: "Because, he said, 'I was there and he was as guilty as I'."

However, Mr Baker denied aggravated burglary and, due to delays in court proceedings, Cackett was brought to court on four separate occasions to give evidence. Mr Baker was later acquitted by a jury.

Miss Oakley said Cackett had "matured" while behind bars and had enhanced prisoner status.