Yahoo News Newcastle woman hit with orange liquid after bravely grabbing burglar she found in her flat
A young woman who bravely grabbed a burglar after finding two raiders in her flat was left covered in liquid.
The offence happened on July 1 last year at student accommodation at Glenamara House, Camden Street, Newcastle. Just after 11pm, the victim got a text from a friend asking if she had visitors because they could see people in her flat.
She didn't think she did but then saw the burglars - Brian Johnson and John Irving - in her home, with Irving holding the door open and Johnson leaving her room carrying a TK Maxx bag. The woman bravely confronted the raiders, demanding her bag back.
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Johnson ran out of the flat but the woman pursued the men and grabbed Irving, at which point she was hit with an orange drink he had been carrying. Items worth more than £1,000 were stolen, including a laptop and jewellery. The victim said she was left feeling unsafe in her flat.
Johnson, who has 47 previous convictions, including for two burglaries in 2008, and Irving, who has 5 previous convictions, including for burglary in 2000, both admitted burglary, Irving on the basis there was limited intrusion and that he didn't take anything himself.
At Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Robert Adams did not impose the "third strike burglar" minimum term sentence on Johnson because of the fact both his previous convictions for buglary happened 16 years ago when he was a youth, which he said amounted to exceptional circumstances.
Johnson was sentenced to 21 months suspended for 18 months and Irving got 15 months suspended for 15 months with an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.
Fiona Lamb, for Irving, said: "There is remorse in this case and it's genuine. He is particularly remorseful about pouring the liquid on the complainant."
Rachel Hedworth, for Johnson, said he was at a low ebb after the still birth of his child and he had visited his grave then consumed alcohol on the day in question.
