A case has just come to court involving a drunken, 23 year old man who, armed with a knife, broke into a pensioner's house in Oxford, after he'd been to an all night party in August last year. Unfortunately, for the burglar, the 72 year old pensioner happened to be a former schoolboy feather-weight boxing champion and ex-soldier. He delivered 2 right hooks to the burglar's face and carried out a 'citizen's arrest' on the semi-conscious man and held until the police arrived.
The pensioner said he was scared when the burglar drew the knife, " but most people would have reacted in the same way."
The Judge had no sympathy for the intruder, who was found guilty of 'aggravated burglary' and given a sentence of four and a half years.
This was matched by an incident in August last year, where a 35 year old thief got into the home a a 69 year old pensioner and tried to steal a bottle of wine, but ran off after the pensioner delivered some punches. The judge in the Newcastle trial praised the pensioner for his bravery. The burglar got a suspended sentence with supervision and drug rehabilitation.
In another incident near Merthyr Tydfil this year, an 87 year old woman hit a burglar with her metal crutch 4 times across the back, when she found him in her kitchen. She then phoned the police and held him at bay until they arrived.
A detective constable said " I've told her she's my new heroine. She's amazing, a real inspiration."
These stories reminded me that, many years ago my feisty old Mum also found a young man in her kitchen and forced him to make his exit after raining blows at him. The police officer who arrived said that she was "a very brave but not very sensible old lady" and given the fact that my Mum was a tiny little woman, this was probably about right.
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