A man who broke into a house by making a secret passageway through the loft was fought off by an elderly woman with her walking stick.
The pensioner had been sitting in her living room at around 10.30pm on Wednesday, July 8, in the Lincoln Bridge Road area of Newark when she saw a hand covered by a black glove appear on the door frame.
She grabbed her walking sticks and opened the door to discover a figure hiding behind it was 39-year-old Michael Barrett.
The brave victim hit Barrett with her sticks but he pushed her to the floor before running off.
She then dragged herself along the hall in order to get a good look at Barrett and saw the loft hatch was open and a pair of legs hanging from it before they disappeared.
Police arrived and they searched the house and established that several bricks had been put in place in the loft space without cement.
Barrett, of Yorke Drive, Newark, was arrested nearby and sentenced to three years, nine months in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, September 17, having pleaded guilty to burglary with violence and causing actual bodily harm on August 7.
Detective Sergeant Andy Hall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "It’s our belief that Barrett had made himself a secret entry point into this house by removing the bricks and tried to cover his tracks by putting them back in place behind him, probably in a bid to come and go as he pleased and steal items over time.
"He committed a despicable crime, deliberately preying on an elderly woman, who despite being subjected to such a terrifying ordeal, acted bravely and was able to provide such an accurate account of what happened.
"Our officers made swift and thorough enquiries arresting Barrett nearby and my team gathered all the evidence required to bring him before the court which has resulted in this substantial jail term.
"We’re pleased with the result and hope the victim can move forward knowing the offender is now behind bars."
