A BRAVE 14-year-old Christchurch boy armed himself with a cricket bat before confronting a burglar in his own home.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how the teenager had been listening to music on January 29 this year when the lunchtime intruder struck.

Prosecutor Jennie Rickman said the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had been home alone when he “heard the fence creak” and looked out to see a man walking through the garden.

“He picked up a cricket bat and saw another man in the kitchen. He tackled him, asking him what he was doing there, as he saw the man moving towards his mother’s handbag.”

When the man fled the boy phoned his mother to raise the alarm and the police were called.

Details of the incident emerged during the sentencing of Paul Young, 46, from Penn Hill Avenue, Poole who pleaded guilty to two burglaries and asked for another five similar offences to be taken in to consideration.

Mrs Rickman said Young had been in the garden acting as “look-out” during the Christchurch burglary. His accomplice has not been traced.

Young was arrested after leaving a footprint at the scene of a burglary at Middle Hill Road, Colehill, on January 3. Miss Rickman said an untidy search had been carried out at the property and around £2,000 worth of jewellery stolen.

In Young’s defence, the court heard that he was “institutionalised” having spent almost half of his life in prison.

Following his release in November last year Young had found himself homeless and resorted to his old ways in a bid to provide for himself.

Jailing Young for three years and four months, Judge Peter Johnson described his record as “appalling,” adding: “You have committed dozens and dozens of burglaries – the sentences are going to get longer and longer.”