A WOMAN chased a masked raider and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck as he attempted to escape the scene of his crime.

The plucky nurse went to her kitchen after hearing noises at the back of the house and was confronted by balaclava-wearing burglar Frederick Newdick.

When he made for the garden gate, the woman and her partner held on to the thief, who also had a glass hammer on him, as he struggled for more than 10 minutes before the police arrived.

Now the couple have been awarded £500 for their bravery in catching the 37-year-old criminal, who has been jailed for three years.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court Louise Craig and her partner were at their Tadpole Garden home at about 6.30pm on Thursday, January 3.

Footage played in court from her CCTV system at the house on John Ruskin Road showed a figure creeping around in the enclosed garden.

After trying the garage door he can be seen peering through the glass doors at the back of the detached house.

But unknown to him a movement sensor had triggered on the homeowner’s phone and when she heard noises from the rear of the property she went to investigate.

As she entered the kitchen he had sneaked through the back door grabbing her partner’s wallet and she chased him out screaming at him.

Mr Meeke said “He ran, keeping hold of his booty out of the kitchen doors to the side gate, which was locked.

“She very bravely grabbed the scruff of Mr Newdick’s neck and her partner came to her help.

“He resists her, trying to get away, he tried to punch her but she was able to dodge out of the way.”

The three are then seen struggling in the garden while a neighbour, who initially though it was a domestic argument, called the police.

Newdick, of Kennet Avenue, pleaded guilty to burglary.

The court heard he had a lengthy criminal record with a number of burglaries.

Richard Williams, defending, said he was ‘utterly ashamed’ of what he had had done adding he had a job as a ground worker earning £600 a month.

Having run up £3,000 of debts to drug dealers he said he had been told to burgle the property.

Telling the court he had been told someone was growing cannabis there, the judge pointed out it wasn’t in the man’s wallet.

Mr Williams said he had now stopped using class A drugs and feared he would not see his father again as he is terminally ill.

Jailing him Judge Robert Pawson said: “The suggestion is made by you that you were dropped off at that address by someone to whom you owed money as a drug dealer. It is manifest nonsense.”

Awarding the money to the couple he added: “Although they were protecting their own property they were carrying out what some might say was foolhardy, others might say breathtaking, courage in detaining a burglar.”