Binman dad-of-four tackles knife-wielding burglar raiding his home – but HE is arrested for assault
Brian Sharp spent seven hours locked up after scaring off thief who 'grabbed nine-inch steak knife before trying to slash his neck'
A DAD-OF-FOUR has told how he was arrested for assault after confronting a knife-wielding burglar who was raiding his home.
Brian Sharp, 40, came across the thief rifling through belongings at his family home and claims the intruder grabbed a nine-inch steak knife before turning on the homeowner.
The council binman says the burglar tried to slash his neck after being caught in the act - yet Brian was the one arrested for the kerfuffle.
Brian denies touching the burglar, but was arrested the following morning as the man suffered head injuries after leaving the 40-year-old's home.
He claims the burglar may have been mugged, attacked by an accomplice who betrayed him or assaulted by a vigilante who witnessed the confrontation after leaving the dad's home - but denies causing the thief's injuries.
Despite his protestations, Brian spent seven hours locked up in a cell and had DNA swabs and urine samples taken.
Police even seized all his clothes - except for his underwear - and sent the stunned dad home in a red "suicide suit".
Furious Brian explained the terrifying ordeal, saying: "I asked the burglar to leave and said, 'Get out of my house'.
"He replied by saying, 'If you don't get back in the front room, I'm going to stab you'.
"Then he lunged at me and the knife came just millimetres from my neck - if I hadn't moved back he would have stabbed me."
Brian says the man then fled his home and claims he followed him out of the house for about 30 metres before returning to his property and waiting for police.
Much to Brian's amazement police turned up at 8.30am the following morning to arrest him for allegedly attacking the raider.
He said: "It's worrying but I don't know why I was arrested. The police didn't give me any reason at all.
"It was all just questioning on 'how he hurt himself' and whether I was 'defending myself'.
"I said to the cops, 'You can do whatever you want to me'. They took swabs off my hands, they took urine, they basically checked me over."
Brian says he managed to get his trainers back off police after they tried to take him off him - but was left without any of the other clothes he had been arrested in.
The intruder reportedly gained entry to Brian's home in Basildon, Essex, through his children's bedroom window.
Luckily the kids, aged just six and eight, were not in at the time of the raid late on Friday night.
He says the intruder was trying to make off with a TV, iPad, mobile phone, trainers, clothes, teabags and cleaning products when he was stopped by the family's seven-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Blue.
The man was arrested a short time later and taken to hospital with head injuries and a fractured jaw.
He is still receiving treatment and is said to be in a serious but non-life-threatening condition.
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Forensics investigated Brian's home the following morning before the dad-of-four was arrested.
He said: "The police were talking about the swabbing of my hands saying, 'You may have got blood on your hands'.
"I said, 'no way', because I didn't touch him whatsoever... I honestly didn't touch him."
Brian showed off his unbruised knuckles, saying: "It doesn't look like I've had a fight."
He added: "In this case they have totally got the wrong end of the stick of this and arrested the person who has been burgled.
"I think it was out of order. I was arrested with no evidence whatsoever and kept in cells.
"I agree if someone breaks into your house you should be able to defend yourself but that hasn't happened in this case."
Brian's housemate, who asked not to be named, said: "Brian's the victim here... he's innocent.
"It feels like the police are against him and for the burglar."
Neighbour Steven Jones added: "Whoever did this is a hero in my eyes, they have done everyone down here a favour.
"I hope they gave him such a good hiding he won't think about going into someone's house.
"It is disgusting a man can't defend his own property... It's terrible they have arrested him, it's disgusting."
An Essex Police spokesman said: "Police are investigating a burglary where a man was threatened with a knife.
"Officers would like to speak to anyone who has any further information about what has happened to the man who was injured."
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