A CAREER criminal who confronted a foster carer in his own home and attacked him with a crowbar has today been jailed for ten years and eight months.

Robert Patrick, who also viciously bit his victim during a struggle, was ruled to pose a significant risk of causing serious harm and was given an extended licence of three years four months making a total sentence of 14 years.

Judge Denis Watson, QC, told 61-year-old Patrick that he will have to serve at least two thirds of the jail term and it will be up to the Parole Board when he is released.

"You are every householders’ nightmare, to be confronted by someone as violent as you, armed with a crowbar and prepared to use your teeth. You are a very dangerous individual," he said.

Patrick, of no fixed address, admitted using the crowbar to break into the house in Victoria Road, New Brighton, on the afternoon of October 2 and then using it on householder Ian Liversage.

The householder had confronted Patrick, who was wearing long coat and flat cap, coming out of a second floor bedroom.

He bravely tackled the well-built intruder and suffered four scalp wounds from being hit with the weapon and also suffered bite marks to his arm, finger and chest.

The judge said that when he had been confronted Patrick had "reacted with substantial violence.

"You took the crowbar and struck him around the head and as he struggled with you you hit him again.

"He has four scars to his head and his blood soaked scalp showed the ferocity of the attack.

"Not satisfied with hitting him with the crowbar you also bit him at least twice."

Judge Watson pointed out that Mr Liversage "who had the courage to confront you" now lives with the concern that because of the bites "there may be some lurking infection which has yet to surface."

The court heard that Patrick, desperate to escape, fled and after falling downstairs hurled himself out of the hole in the window which he had made breaking in.

He suffered a dislocated shoulder and cuts and bruises but the judge that his sympathy was reserved for the victim and not Patrick.

Patrick was spotted nearby after the break in and arrested.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and wounding and also admitted three house burglaries in Great Yarmouth on June 16.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that he had been released from an eight year jail sentence for robbery not long before these offences.

Patrick, who has committed 93 previous offences, has become institutionalised and he told police that "he wanted to return to prison as he functions better behind bars than outside."

Chris Taylor, prosecuting, said that Patrick, who appeared for sentence via video link from prison, had asked about the welfare of Mr LIversage when interviewed and said that he had "unwittingly" chosen the wrong house to target as the householder was a big man and he had "bitten off more than he could chew."

In an impact statement the victim said that he had had trouble sleeping for a fortnight because of his scalp wounds.

As a carer for children he was now considering installing extra security and had to put on a brave face for his family "but I am disturbed by what happened," he stated.

Mr Taylor said that Patrick had got a lift with a lorry driver to Runcorn from the Great Yarmouth area after raiding three homes in one road and making off with items including a £2,500 Tagheur watch which he sold in a pub.

He got a train from Runcorn, where he had been sleeping rough, to New Brighton and broke into the first house he spotted by using a crowbar to smash a downstairs window.

Patrick admitted his offending to police and said that he had left forensic evidence behind in the Norfolk burglaries so he would be identified as he wanted to go back to jail.

John Weate, defending, said that bearded Patrick had "found himself in a position of hopelessness.

"He had been taken into care as a child and started offending when he was aged just 11.

"He had suffered inordinate psychological and perhaps physical damage as a child and committed serious offences in his formative years.

"He has spent most of his adult life in jail and cannot cope outside in the modern world which he does not understand."

Mr Weate said that Patrick described himself as having no family but he did have children and a daughter had contacted his firm's office to make contact with her dad and offer support and assistance.

"That is something that has taken him by surprise and something he is very grateful for."

Mr Weate added: "He has shown some humanity and grace and apologised for his actions.

"He is not as bad as the facts of the case and his record would suggest."