Woman praised for scaring burglar from bedroom

A woman who awoke to find a burglar in her bedroom has been praised for her bravery by a judge.

Kenneth Musgrave, 46, was caught by the woman during a night of burglaries he carried out in Sunderland with his accomplice William Warwick in March, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Judge Gavin Doig said the victim was "understandably petrified" but she showed "enormous presence of mind and courage" to shout at Musgrave until he fled.

The pair from Sunderland, who have dozens of convictions, admitted burglary and were both jailed for two years and four months.

On the night of 4 March, Warwick, was caught on doorbell footage entering a garden and trying the door handles of two houses in the city, prosecutor Kelly Clarke said.

At about 00:20 BST, the two men broke into a house on Reading Road and searched drawers and rooms before fleeing with three rucksacks containing goods, including banks cards and other important documents, the court heard.

About 40 minutes later, a woman awoke after hearing the sound of her bedroom door opening, the court heard.

The victim, who also had her son and grandson in the house, saw Musgrave in her doorway and shouted at him to leave, Ms Clarke said.

The prosecutor said the woman was "petrified" but kept shouting until he fled.

She then found her living room in "disarray" and a drink from her fridge partially drunk, the court heard.

Musgrave, a father of three, and Warwick were arrested at a nearby BP garage.

Both told officers they had been high on drink and drugs, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, the woman said she had been left feeling "terrified and physically sick" and her sense of security in her home had been shattered.

"Anything could have happened to me or my kids," she said, adding: "I should never ever be made to feel like this in my own home."

The victim of the first burglary said he and his family had been "shaken" and were now planning to move house.

Musgrave, of Wembley Close, had 32 convictions for 144 offences including multiple burglaries while Warwick, of Rutherglen Road, had 73 convictions for 158 offences, Ms Clarke said.

Judge Doig said the burglaries were "extremely serious" and the woman who awoke to found Musgrave in her bedroom was "understandably petrified".

"Very bravely she shouted at [Musgrave] to get out," the judge said, adding that she showed "enormous presence of mind and courage".

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