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A prolific burglar was chased out of a house in Wainscott and then caught by the brave homeowner.
Drunken Paul Stone was nabbed by his belt as he tried to scale a fence and held until police arrived, Maidstone Crown Court heard.
But the 44-year-old raider, who was caught wearing builder's gloves and a bobble hat, then tried everything to get away in June, claiming there was two friends in nearby car.
When that didn't work he pleaded that he had an aged mother and he hadn't eaten for two days, said prosecutor Andrew Bousfield.
The bungled raid in Hollywood Lane has caused misery to the family of four who were in the property at the time and one of the children later asked the mother:
"Why were their baddies in our garden and are their going to be more baddies coming to the house?"
The mother, Bonita Rule, revealed in her Victim Impact Statement how she had been worried already after hearing about a "string of burglaries" in the area.
She said the incident had "shocked me to the core" by the "brazen (nature of the) break-in without remorse or care".
She also pleaded with her husband to delay beginning overnight work because of her fears.
Mr Bousfield said that at 11.30pm on June 12 the family heard a noise coming from their kitchen, while two children were asleep in bed.
The father, Benn Rule, looked out of the window and saw a man running away.
The prosecutor said the dad gave chase and grabbed Stone's belt as he scaled the fence and pulled him down, restraining him with difficulty.
"It was the middle of summer and Stone was wearing builders' gloves and a bobble hat. He continued to attempt to get away but the Mr Rule kept restraining him.
"Stone then said he had a frail mother and said he had not eaten for two days," he added.
Police later found a bag containing phones, left in the kitchen, after Stone had fled.
Stone, of Hyacinth Road, Strood, admitted attempted burglary which was carried out while he was on licence for a previous three year sentence.
His barrister Keith Yardy said Stone was "extremely intoxicated" at the time and he had also take prescription medicine.
"He wants, through me, to apologise to this family for what he did."
Mr Yardy added that Stone did have a frail 76-year-old mother and he is "terrified she may die before he is released."
Jailing him for 45 months, Judge Stephen Thomas told him he had been "rumbled" by the family and the father had "rather bravely restrained you."
He told Stone: "You are a seasoned campaigner in terms of burglaries."
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