A BURGLAR broke into a man's home, stabbed him in the throat and tried to saw his leg off because he wrongly thought he had been selling drugs to children, a court heard.

Darren Clark, 28, of Laburnum Grove, Didcot, yesterday began a life sentence after admitting the attack, in which he:

- Coshed his victim over the head until he blacked out

- Knifed him in the face and throat

- Sprayed him in the eyes with a CS gas canister.

At Oxford Crown Court, Judge Francis Allen gave Clark a life sentence for the knife attack because it was his third conviction for wounding.

In May 1989, Clark was convicted on two counts of wounding with intent at the same court after slashing the faces of two victims with a hobby knife in Henley. He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail.

James Cox, prosecuting, said Clark and his accomplice Gareth Pointon, 22, went to the home of John Margetts, 48, in Mendip Heights, Didcot, on September 11 last year. They were both wearing balaclavas. Mr Margetts was hit with a cosh until he blacked out.

Mr Cox said: "His next recollection was waking up. He was lying by the settee and the assailant was sawing at his leg with a knife. He thought the defendant was trying to cut his leg off."

Mr Cox said Mr Margetts almost managed to grab the knife from Clark's hands, at which point he was sprayed in the face with CS gas.

During the struggle, the victim was stabbed.

His teenage son was also hit over the head and sprayed in the face, the court heard, before managing to flee and raise the alarm.

David Hughes, defending, said his client had had a serious heroin habit. He added: "It was Mr Clark's belief that in September 1998, John Margetts was supplying heroin to children in Didcot. This was a matter he took objection to, even though he was a user."

Sentencing Clark, Judge Francis Allen said: "This was a very nasty and totally unjustified attack on this man in his own home."

Judge Allen ordered that Clark serve six years, eight months of his life sentence before being considered for parole.

Clark admitted wounding with intent, aggravated burglary and possession of a prohibited weapon. He was also sentenced to 13 years for aggravated burglary and six years for possessing an offensive weapon. All sentences will run concurrently.

Pointon, of Newport, Gwent, admitted aggravated burglary and causing actual bodily harm. He was given two years' probation.

Story date: Wednesday 16 February

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