A FUGITIVE made a pensioner a prisoner in his own home in a bid to escape from armed police, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Burglar Heath Randall, 34, crept into 77-year-old neighbour Mohammed Zamman's home as he was praying, said prosecutor Michael Bosomworth yesterday.

When Mr Zamman spotted the burglar hiding in his toilet, Randall jumped on the pensioner and ordered him to keep quiet, keeping him pinned down for more than an hour.

Mr Bosomworth told the court that Randall, who was thought to have a weapon, was flushed out by a police dog as an armed response team surrounded the house.

Randall pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of his next-door neighbour in Egmont Road, Middlesbrough, on September 29 last year.

He also admitted three burglaries in Middlesbrough and handling jewellery stolen in a burglary.

He was jailed for a total of six years.

Stephen Ashurst, mitigating, said that Randall, a drug addict, acted on the spur of the moment when he heard that police were hunting for him.

"He just wanted a place to hide and was as frightened as his victim when he was cornered." said Mr Ashurst.

Judge Gerrard Harkins told Randall: "It was a grievous offence against an elderly and vulnerable man while you were already on bail for serious matters."