A THIEF caught sneaking into a Derby garden pleaded with his captor: "Just give me a good hiding and let me go."
Jobless Aaron Nelson, 20, had been spotted walking past a side window of the house, Derby Crown Court was told.
But he was seen by the householder who went outside and grabbed him.
The man, whom the court was told was a self-employed electrician, then held on to Nelson, stopping him from making his escape over a garden fence.
Tony Stanford, prosecuting, told how the defendant was carrying a large rucksack and was challenged by the victim, who asked: "What are you doing?"
Mr Stanford said Nelson replied: "Just getting cabling."
He said: "The victim noticed that one of his work bags had been moved and took hold of Nelson, who added: 'Let me go, you're bigger than me'.
"He then said 'just give me a good hiding and let me go'."
The incident happened at 2pm on July 4.
Recorder Simon Ward imposed a four-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, on Nelson, of Churchside Walk, Derby, who admitted attempted theft.
He must also obey a curfew for four months and attend a thinking skills course.
When Recorder Ward told him he would not be jailed, Nelson said: "Thank you very much."
Recorder Ward said: "I am sure you know enough about the system that if you breach any terms of this order, you will be back before a judge.
"The judge's first instinct is to say you should serve these four months as a start with anything else on top," he added.
The court was told that Nelson was first convicted of a criminal offence in 2003.
He now has 28 offences on his record.
Stephen Cooper, for Nelson, said he had been in custody since being arrested at the time of the offence.
He said: "The pre-sentence report suggests a suspended sentence."
The scrap cabling was worth £25.
When Nelson was arrested he told the police in an interview that he took the metal because he had no money to feed his baby.
His previous convictions included burgling commercial premises and going equipped for theft.
Nelson was also jailed in January and later received a one-year community order.
Recorder Ward said: "You have let yourself down and let the court down.
"You have committed offences like this since you were a child almost and it has got to stop."
