A DISABLED man and his wife who grappled with a serial burglar after they found him ransacking their home have been rewarded by a judge for their bravery.

Darren Holliday and his wife, Viki-Ann, returned home on August 7 to find powerfully-built John Kirk ransacking their kitchen.

Kirk, 39, ran off, but Teesside Crown Court heard that Mrs Holliday leapt on heroin addict Kirk.

They both fell to the floor and Kirk lashed out and punched her, but Mrs Holliday noticed a hammer lying nearby and hit him on the back with it.

Kirk continued to resist and got to his feet, but Mrs Holliday hung on to him as he dragged her outside the house.

Mr Holliday, who is retired on medical grounds with a surgical implant in his elbow, was helping his wife throughout. Eventually, they called out to a man passing their house, in High Coniscliffe, Darlington.

The three were able to subdue Kirk, and the police were called.

Judge Peter Armstrong yesterday commended the couple and awarded them £250 each.

Kirk, who had only been released from prison for five weeks, had parked on their drive with his 14-year-old nephew inside, unaware of what Kirk was doing.

When officers searched the boot, they found a large quantity of Mrs Holliday's jewellery.

They also discovered a .22 rifle with a silencer and telescopic sights. Kirk said it was for his nephew's shooting practice.

John Gillette, prosecuting, said Kirk, who was out of prison on licence, had committed 87 previous offences since 1981, mainly for dishonesty, including 28 burglaries.

David Lamb, in mitigation, said Kirk believed he was released without support and had fallen back into drugs misuse.

While he was on remand for a month in Holme House Prison, Stockton, his brother, who was also an inmate, committed suicide there.

Judge Armstrong said: "Sometimes it is inadvisable to have-a-go, but on this occasion, it seems to me that their actions resulted in this defendant being caught.

"I think it was brave to act in the way they did."

Kirk of Witton Court, Darlington, was jailed for four-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty to the burglary, assault with intent to resist his apprehension, and possession of a firearm.