A burglar ransacking a Norwich home just three days before Christmas was captured when the brave owners rugby tackled him and repeatedly hit him with a frying pan until police arrived, a court heard.

Wayne Thompson, 39, was disturbed in the property in Nelson Street, Norwich, when the woman came home with her partner, who rugby tackled Thompson to the ground and she then hit him five or six times with a frying pan and waited until police arrived, Norwich Crown Court was told.

Richard Paterson, prosecuting, said the partner received injuries when he tackled Thompson and had to use a crutch for two weeks because of an injury to his ankle.

Mr Paterson said that at one point Thompson tried to get away by claiming he had burgled the house as he said he did not have enough money for Christmas.

A silver Apple iPhone was stolen in the break-in. and Thompson had made an untidy search of the bedroom, emptying out drawers.

Mr Paterson said that in an impact statement the occupier said that she is now too scared to live at the property and has moved out.

She said she keeps having flashbacks about what happened and said the burglary had shattered her confidence and made her extra security conscious.

She also is now suffering with anxiety.

Thompson, formerly of Old Palace Road, Norwich, who appeared via a video link from Norwich prison, admitted the burglary and stealing and iPhone.

The court heard he had previous convictions for burglary.

His barrister, Duncan O'Donnell said Thompson wanted to apologise to the victim.

He said: 'He is ashamed and embarrassed by what he did and wants his apology to the householder to be passed on.'

Mr O'Donnell added: 'He absolutely accepts he deserved the pasting he got.'

He said that Thompson had been homeless at the time.

Jailing him for three years four months, Judge Andrew Shaw told Thompson that burglaries ruin people's lives and said: 'That is the impact your selfish decision to break into this home has had,'.

He added: 'This was three days before Christmas.'

He warned him that unless he changed his ways his sentences would only get longer.