A vigilante attacked a thief in his home because he had stolen from an elderly woman, a court heard.

Anthony Maher, 41, of Van Dieman's Road, Thame, pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm at Oxford Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday) and was jailed for 15 months. Maher had attacked James Tatton because he had stolen a handbag from a elderly woman in Thame, in February last year.

Tatton served three months in prison for the theft before the assault, on August 6. On that day, the court was told, Maher entered the home of Tatton, who took refuge in the bathroom.

Maher kicked in the door, punched Tatton in the eye, making him fall into the bath, and then stamped on his head.

He told Tatton he wanted to make him feel the fear the old woman had felt.

Maher tied a rope round Tatton's neck, attached the other end to a radiator in a bedroom and left after telling him that if he moved he would stab his eyes out. Tatton escaped by jumping out of a first-floor window.

Sentencing Maher, Judge Peter Crawford told him: "It's for the courts to hand out punishments, not vigilantes."