Brave neighbours tackled a burglar who had escaped with jewellery from a house in Watford.

Fabrico Valle Chavez, 33, produced a screwdriver in an attempt to get away but was stopped by local residents and a passerby who sat on him.

Prosecutor Geoffrey Porter told St Albans crown court that Chavez broke into a house in Gaddesden Crescent, Watford, at about 7.15 in the evening.

Next door neighbours Jo and Peter Smith were having an evening meal when they thought they heard a firework go off. Another neighbour, Lesley Smyley, who was outside her home having a cigarette, heard the sound which she recognised as glass smashing. She called on the Smiths and they all went next door to investigate.

Mr Porter said: "They saw the rear kitchen window had been smashed.

"Mr Smith stayed at the rear of the house and Mrs Smyley went to the front. Very shortly afterwards the defendant emerged from the broken window.

"He said 'I am sorry, I am sorry' in English. He ran down the side of the property to escape and tried to jump the garden wall, but failed to do so and fell to the ground.

"Lesley Smyley had the presence of mind to stop him and he was jumped on by Mr Smith."

Chavez produced a screwdriver and struggled on the ground. A passerby, who has not been traced, sat on him. Then off duty policeman, Darren Knights, who was in the area appeared on the scene and arrested Chavez.

The Mexican burglar had a pair of gloves as well as a screwdriver in his rucksack. Chavez had carried out an untidy search of the house and had stolen costume and Asian jewellery - all of which was recovered.

Eleven days earlier he had broken into a house in Napier Road, Cowley, Oxford, where he stole two laptops worth £480 and £330. He was linked to the burglary by bloodstains on a duvet in a girl's bedroom and was arrested.

Chavez of New Park Road, Brixton Hill, London SW2, pleaded guilty to burgling the house at Cowley last year and appeared for sentence after earlier admitting burgling the house in Gaddesden Crescent in September.

Nancy Marsh, defending, said Chavez had a partner and daughter in Mexico and had come to the UK in mid August for work and to send money home to them. She said he had met people in Brixton who had offered him a meal and offered him work. She said he had been driven out to the addresses to commit the crimes. He received £70 for the two laptops, she said.

She said it was Chavez's first court appearance and he wanted to apologise to the court and the victims.

Recorder David Miller jailed him for two years saying: "These were very serious offences which involved a serious degree of pre-meditation. When you were discovered by the neighbours you did not surrender but struggled and produced a screwdriver. It is good fortune that nobody was seriously injured."

Mr Porter said the question of deportation would be dealt with by the immigration authorities.