A HOUSEHOLDER grabbed a burglar’s arm when it reached through a broken window – and he held on until police arrived to arrest him, a court heard.

Michael Killaly was so afraid of being burgled after being targeted twice before, that he slept each night fully clothed in the living room of his home in Rochdale Old Road, Bury.

Prosecutor Daniel Calder told Bolton Crown Court on Friday that the incident happened shortly before 2am on September 26 last year when Mr Killaly was woken by a loud banging at the front door.

He then saw an arm reaching through a broken window pane attempting to undo the lock.

Mr Killaly, whose wife was asleep upstairs, held on to the arm, only releasing his grip shortly before police arrived a few minutes later and arrested 49-year-old Colin Simpson.

Simpson, of School Street, Heywood, was drunk and stated that he had only broken in to have a look around the property. He pleaded guilty to burglary.

Recorder Mukhtar Hussain QC sentenced Simpson to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, with 12 months supervision.

He was also ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge.