TWO businessmen have been ordered to pay out substantial damages to a thief who was injured while stealing from their premises.

Brian Grotz sued brothers Duane and Marc Usher for damages after he claimed they shattered his wrist with an iron bar after catching him outside their breaker's yard.

Mr Grotz and another man had been spotted inside Rocktop Autos, in Sunderland, three years ago.

The 35-year-old had stolen 30 fuses, worth £5, from scrap cars and later admitted theft when he appeared before Sunderland magistrates. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Yesterday, the father-of-four, of Ford Estate, Sunderland, was celebrating his windfall after Newcastle County Court upheld a claim against the brothers, managers of North-East Motor Salvage and Rocktop Autos.

Mr Grotz said: "I am not bothered about the money, I wanted justice. Obviously you shouldn't go around committing crimes. I never went out to mug somebody - I went out to get a tyre because at the time, I couldn't afford one.

"They just went too far. I think they wanted to send a message out. The judge has seen that and they have had to pay for it."

Mr Grotz needed a six-inch plate and pins inserting into his wrist after the incident in 1999.

The court was told he had been hiding in brambles after fleeing the brothers. His wrist was broken as he tried to fend off blows from an iron bar, he said.

Duane, 33, and 29-year-old Marc both denied the claim. They said Mr Grotz could have been injured after he fell twice when he was arrested.

The two were charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm, but the criminal case against them was dropped.

Mr Grotz said: "It was totally over the top. I have never been so pleased to see a policeman."