A knifeman who smashed his way into a home where a woman was caring for her two young children was stopped when her brave husband disarmed the would-be thief. The shocking break in happened on a Sunday night when the two children and the woman's mother-in-law were home and she heard knocking at the door.
After looking through the peep hole she didn't recognise the man at the door, so decided not to open it. She then heard more knocking from the back door followed by banging on the window of the property in Bolton.
Suddenly she heard glass smash and saw a gloved hand reaching through the window and try to open the door, Manchester Crown Court heard. She had called her husband moments earlier, who was working nearby.
READ MORE : Mum pulled over by police for invalid Spanish insurance - and soon lands herself in much deeper trouble
He ran back to the house with his father, and they both chased after one of the intruders. Her husband caught up with 24-year-old Ikram Khan, who was armed with a knife.
He kicked out at Khan to try and stop him, prosecutor Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe said. Khan swung his knife towards the man's stomach as he tried to flee.
The woman's husband kicked and punched Khan several times, and he was able to disarm and detain him until police arrived. The victim recognised Khan as someone who lived nearby.
Khan was asked why he decided to target the home, and he replied: "If I'd known it was your house, I wouldn't have done it." His fingerprints were found at the house and Khan later admitted aggravated burglary.
The incident on May 3, 2020 has left the woman terrified, and her husband has given up his job so he can remain at home to comfort her, the court heard. "Since this incident I feel very frightened and have difficulty sleeping," the woman said.
Her husband added: "I feel angry that this has happened to my family. I don't know why he has done this but I feel targeted."
Defending, Edward Steele said Khan is 'sorry and remorseful', and that he was 'going through a very bad time in his life' at the time of the break-in.
Khan was jailed for six-and-a-half years. The judge, Recorder Andrew Long told him: "You committed, with another person who had not been traced, a serious aggravated burglary. Your actions have had profound consequences for the victim and their family."
Khan, of Parkfield Road, Bolton, admitted aggravated burglary, possessing a blade and being concerned of the supply of a class A drug.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
- 'It's disgusting' - Volunteers feeding breakfast to the homeless were slapped with parking fines
- 'Monstrous' metal structure 'The Rocket' that plagued angry homeowners will be ripped down
- Oldham headteacher steps down after historic tweets emerge containing racial and derogatory comments
- New £20m link road opens connecting M62 with Greater Manchester's 'Atom Valley'
- Everything you need to know as second report into Manchester Arena terror attack is published today
