A man hopped on a bike and bravely chased down a "nasty" burglar - after he awoke to find him stealing from his home.

Darren Jarvis was caught burgling a property in St Augustine’s Road, Canterbury, in the early hours of the morning when his victim woke to hear footsteps outside his room.

Looking out into the hallway, the man saw his two bicycles were missing.

He called the police and went outside, where he saw a man - later identified as 51-year-old Jarvis - wearing his cycle helmet and trying to ride away on one of the bikes, while carrying a large flatscreen TV.

The victim challenged the thief, and took back the bicycle and helmet.

Jarvis dropped the TV and started to run away but the victim chased him on the recovered bike, while Jarvis threatened him.

Officers arrived shortly after and arrested Jarvis.

In court Jarvis, of Station Road East, Canterbury, admitted the burglary, which happened on January 14.

At Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday, he was sentenced to a total of four years in prison, for the burglary and an unrelated charge of assaulting a police officer.

He was given three years for the burglary, after it was heard he had breached a conditional discharge he had received in May 2019.

He received an additional year on his sentence for assaulting occasioning actual bodily harm against a police officer during a disturbance at a shop in St George’s Street, Canterbury, on November 20 last year.

Investigating officer PC Samantha Lewis said: "The burglary victim was courageous in his efforts to stop Jarvis escaping with his ill-gotten gains, and he risked a lot by tracking this nasty character through the city.

‘"The second stolen bicycle, as well as other items, including computer games, were never recovered and we suspect Jarvis was not working alone, although he has not shown any remorse by cooperating with the investigation to recover the missing goods.

"I hope he uses his time in prison to consider just how mean-spirited his behaviour is and the effect burglaries have on victims."

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