A HOME owner grabbed a knife and left a burglar lying in a pool of blood after he caught him breaking in.

Chris Murray, 39, stabbed shocked David Allen six times during a frantic struggle.

Mr Murray was himself arrested and spent a night in a police cell after overpowering Allen, who was trying to steal from him. The investigation into Mr Murray was later dropped.

On Thursday, Allen, 20, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after he admitted the crime before a judge at Maidstone Crown Court.

Now, for the first time, Mr Murray can tell his side of the story.

Mr Murray, of Hackney Road, Fant, Maidstone, said: "It’s not as long a sentence as was expected, but at the end of the day, justice was done."

However, he added: "They come into your life and try to take the things you have worked hard for. I can’t see that there is a punishment that would suit."

Since the incident in April, Mr Murray has had extra security fitted to his home and is more careful at night.

Asked if he would do it again, he said: "It’s impossible to say. I would never let people get away with things like that but whether I would approach it in the same way is another thing.

"It was a very unique set of circumstances. Until you have it happen to you, you’ll never know what you would do."

* FOR MR MURRAY'S FULL STORY AND A COURT REPORT SEE THIS WEEK'S KENT MESSENGER.