A VILLAGE shop thief sank his teeth into a neighbour who tried to bring him to book and also attacked the man's wife.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Michael Walmsley had chased the van in which father-of-three Leigh Atkinson was driving away with a haul of flagstones in a bid to get the registration number.

The defendant bit him and when Mr Walmsley's wife Lisa dashed to his aid, Atkinson hit her twice.

Atkinson, 28, of Allerton Drive, Burnley, was jailed for eight months.

Sentencing him, Judge Barbara Watson said he accepted he had to go to custody and had been making good use of his time on remand.

The defendant admitted theft of 14 flagstones, having an offensive weapon and two counts of battery.

William Staunton, prosecuting, said Mools Village Store on Lowerhouse Lane, Burnley, sold flagstones among many other things and Mrs Walmsley heard "goings on," at the back of the shop at night.

She alerted her husband who went outside and saw a van being driven away. He decided to chase after it to try and get the registration number .

The defendant stopped the van, got out and pushed Mr Walmsley.

Mr Walmsley grappled with Atkinson and when he looked inside the van saw flagstones in the back. He tried to make a citizen's arrest, but the defendant continued to struggle violently.

Mr Staunton said the defendant bit Mr Walmsley and then hit his wife when she tried to help.

Atkinson later told police he wouldn't do such a thing to a woman.

Kathryn Johnson, defending, said Atkinson appreciated an immediate custodial sentence was inevitable.

Atkinson would have been paid a small amount of money for his part.

The defendant had been remanded in custody since his arrest. He realised what he did to the Walmsleys was wrong, but he panicked and over-reacted. He could not quite remember what he did during the struggle.

Miss Johnson said Atkinson's last offence of violence was in 1994 for police assault. Since then his record was mostly dishonesty.