Weston OAP fights off burglar with umbrella

A burglar who broke into a home and was fought off the premises by a gutsy 75-year-old holding an umbrella "like D'Artagnan" has been jailed for two and a half years.

Daniel Jefferies got into the house in Thornbury Road, Uphill, but did not bargain on meeting resident Ken Creffield, Bristol Crown Court heard.

The intruder bashed Mr Creffield with a walking stick and threw a lump of concrete at him before fleeing empty-handed. When police arrested Jefferies they found blood on his jumper, linking him to the scene.

Jefferies, 23, of no fixed address, admitted burglary following the incident in July.

Imposing the prison sentence, Judge David Ticehurst told him: "This is your first burglary and it was, by any interpretation, an extremely serious burglary.

"I give you credit for your guilty plea but the aggravating features are considerable.

"It was night-time, the victim was vulnerable and weapons and violence was used. It is clear from the victim impact statement the victim suffered trauma over and beyond what someone would normally suffer."

Mr Creffield, a former Evening Post and Western Daily Press reporter and grandfather of five, described holding his umbrella "like D'Artagnan from The Three Musketeers" when the burglar threw concrete at him.

He said: "I would have given him 50 years.

"There were catastrophic consequences; my memory was affected and my physical health has been affected. I don't know how long it is going to take me to recover.

"What do you do in these circumstances; do you say 'good evening, can I help you?' "I didn't have time to think about it at all. I think he should have got a sentence that meant he wouldn't be released until they knew it was safe to let him out."

Michael Cullum, prosecuting, said Mr Creffield was woken by a noise at 3.30am and was confronted by Jefferies on the landing, who struck him with a walking stick.

Mr Cullum said: "He grabbed Mr Creffield round the throat and pushed him back. He fell to the floor and the defendant went downstairs and picked up a golf umbrella.

"Mr Creffield followed and the defendant pointed the umbrella at him.

"Mr Creffield grabbed it, and his head was cut. The defendant left empty-handed."

Jefferies fled to the street, pursued by Mr Creffield dressed in his underpants and T-shirt, in bare feet.

Jefferies then appeared from a side street with two lumps of concrete and threw the smaller one at the pensioner. A neighbour who saw the tail end of the incident called the police and Jefferies was arrested.

Mr Creffield had to have two cuts to his forehead glued.

David Campbell, defending, said Jefferies picked the address at random and had not taken anything.