Bungling : Stewart Garner suffered a grazed chin after being tackled to the ground by Paul Thomas . A bungling burglar was spotted and caught by his victim - because of the graze on his chin from when the pair had grappled the day before . Stewart Garner suffered facial injuries when he was tackled to the ground after Paul Thomas caught him in his home in Stoke-on-Trent , Staffordshire . Garner , 49 , fled the house after grabbing £8 in cash and a £65 pair of trainers from the kitchen counter of the property in Abbey Hulton . But the thief returned to the home 12 hours later and bumped into Mr Thomas , who recognised his grazed chin and distinctive limp . The father-of-two confronted Garner and managed to detain him until the police arrived . Officers then arrested him on suspicion of burglary . Garner - who has 43 previous convictions - was jailed for two years and four months after he admitted burglary . He asked for four other offences to be taken into consideration . Sentencing him at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court , Judge David Fletcher said : 'You are going to have to think very hard about how you deal with your life on your release from prison . 'Nobody is too old to change . If you do not , the rest of your life will be continued institutionalisation , as it has been for the last 33 years . ' The court heard Mr Thomas had chased Garner through his home after catching him rummaging around his kitchen at 8.30pm on November 26 last year . The next morning Mr Thomas and his 24-year-old partner were waiting for their son 's school taxi when they recognised Garner walk past their house . Speaking after the case , Mr Thomas said : 'What are the odds of us seeing the burglar walk past our house the very next day ? 'It was pure chance he walked past at that moment . ' I could tell it was him because he had a grazed chin and I was determined to make sure he was jailed so he ca n't do this again . ' I knew it was him straight away but I made him remove his hood to be sure . Garner - who has 43 previous convictions - was jailed for two years and four months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after he admitted burglary . 'He kept protesting his innocence but I kept him talking until the cops showed up . I basically did the police 's job for them . 'It did n't cross my mind that he might be dangerous . It was my instinct to protect my family but I heard my little girl shouting so I went back . 'It 's not a long sentence considering he 's a repeat offender . I 'm just glad I can give people peace of mind knowing he ca n't do anything while behind bars . '
Stewart Garner had broken into the home of Paul Thomas in Staffordshire-on-Trent . Garner suffered a grazed chin after Mr Thomas tackled him to the ground . The 49-year-old thief then fled only to return to the home 12 hours later . But Mr Thomas bumped into him and recognised him from his facial injury . He managed to hold Garner until police officers arrived to arrest the thief . Garner was jailed for two years and four months after admitting burglary .