A burglar who attacked a couple with a wooden post and then robbed them before being chased by police has been jailed.

Christopher Roy Fletcher, 22, was caught on CCTV using a piece of wood with a nail sticking out the end to smash through patio doors at the victims' home.

The couple had seen Fletcher in their garden in Bolton, Greater Manchester - and the 67-year-old man was on the phone to police when Fletcher hit the patio glass.

The pair tried to reason with him but he held up the piece of wood and began to beat the man, officers said.

As the victim fell to the floor, Fletcher, of Farnworth, then attacked the 52-year-old woman. She pleaded with him to stop, but he continued.

The man was badly beaten and suffered multiple fractures to his face as well as a large cut to his lip, further bruising and swelling.

The woman suffered a large wound on her head, a broken cheekbone and heavy bruising to her face.

Fletcher demanded cash and jewellery, which the couple handed over to him, but he threatened to kill them if they did not give him more items.

Police officers then arrived and saw Fletcher in the house with the wooden post so they ran in through the smashed patio door, where they were confronted by him.

As one officer tried to rugby tackle him to the ground, Fletcher hit him across the back with the post. They both fell to the floor and began to struggle.

Fletcher managed to get away by wriggling out of his clothing and as he ran into another room, the second officer hit him on the leg with his baton.

Another officer outside forced open the front door and the injured couple were helped outside.

Fletcher then reappeared carrying a glass candlestick above his head. He was told to get back but Fletcher ran past an officer into the back garden.

He ran across the garden and into a bramble thicket. Two officers followed him into the thicket and after a violent struggle they managed to subdue him with CS spray.

Both officers suffered cuts and bruises and one received a fractured finger in the struggle. The victims were taken to hospital for treatment.

When Fletcher was searched, cash, jewellery and a bankcard in the name of the victim were found, and damage which cost thousands to repair was caused to the house during the incident last October.

Fletcher pleaded guilty to two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, one count of aggravated burglary and one count of causing actual bodily harm with intent to resist arrest.

He was jailed indefinitely and must serve a minimum of five years in prison before being considered for parole.

If this were in the US the pensioner could have shot and killed the burglar and no-one would think twice about it.

Here we protect the guilty and punish the innocent.

I could never be a cop - I'd have broken a few of his bones after all that

If this were in the US the pensioner could have shot and killed the burglar and no-one would think twice about it.

Here we protect the guilty and punish the innocent.

If this were in the US the pensioner could have shot and killed the burglar and no-one would think twice about it.

Here we protect the guilty and punish the innocent.

For an aggravated robbery with menaces he should have got a much longer sentence regardless of how much money was involved. These are the sorts of crimes that the public hate most of all. The sentences need to be higher for these types of crimes.

In America he would have had a gun and both pensioners would be dead.

I don't understand. The report says he was jailed indefinitely, with a minimum of five years. How long is indefinite?

Yes but after five years he can be eligible for parole. You only have to see some of the other decisions that have been made to realise that this man could be out in five years.

Parole, yes, true. But if he's as psychotic as it appears, he may well remain at Her Majesty's pleasure a lot longer.