TWO burglars who were caught red-handed by homeowners in separate incidents have each been jailed for almost two years and five months.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Wayne Kay and Philip Leach are both drug addicts and each have lengthy criminal records, including for house burglary.

Charlotte Crangle, prosecuting, told how, on December 10 last year 18-year-old Owen Melding was outside his Ellesmere Road, Daubhill, home with his girlfriend at 2.30am.

His parents, 16-year-old brother and 15-month-old daughter were in bed.

Miss Crangle said Mr Melding heard a noise of someone in the garden and then noticed a man standing in the living room doorway. The defendant (later identified as Kay) went to leave through the open front door and Owen went after him,” said Miss Crangle.

The two men began to struggle, Kay slipped out of Mr Melding’s grasp and tried to run off.

“At this point Owen rugby tackled him to the ground,” said Miss Crangle.

Alerted by the the noise Mr Melding’s father, brother and a neighbour helped keep hold of Kay, who was left with a bleeding nose, until police arrived.

Kay, aged 33, of St Helens Road, subsequently pleaded guilty to burglary.

Mark Friend, defending, stressed that the crime had been “opportunistic”.

“Once he became aware of anyone in the premise the defendant sought to flee,” he said.

Kay appeared in court via a video link from Forest Bank prison and, jailing him, Judge Graeme Smith said: “It is a serious matter. It is the invasion of someone’s privacy and people in your position don’t understand the long term effect it has on the victims.”

Also appearing in court via video link was 48-year-old Philip Leach, who was caught burgling a house on Conway Avenue, Heaton, on December 11 last year.

Miss Crangle told how householder Andrew Fearnley had returned from taking his daughter to work at 8am and gone into the kitchen, leaving the front door unlocked. His 15-year-old son was asleep upstairs.

Mr Fearnley heard the door open and then saw a man standing in the living room.

In the vestibule the two men struggled and the burglar, later identified as Leach, dropped Mr Fearnley’s son’s £180 Boss watch which had been on the living room coffee table.

His son and neighbours came to his aid and detained Leach until police arrived.

Leach, who the court heard has been convicted of 19 previous house burglaries and has been a heroin addict since the age of 13, was arrested.

He pleaded guilty to burglary.

Kimberley Morton, defending, stressed that Leach, of Chorley Old Road, Bolton, had not been aggressive or abusive when caught by the homeowner.

She added that he has previously served 24 prison sentences and struggles with life outside prison.

“He feels institutionalised,” she said.

Leach and Kay were each jailed for 876 days.