A burglar who hurled rocks at a man as he fled from a break-in has been jailed.
Police were called after a couple were awoken by an intruder inside their property in Wingfield Avenue, Worksop, around 8am on 23 March 2025.
A man wearing a balaclava, later discovered to be Ashley Whitehouse, walked into their bedroom and following an altercation was chased out the front door.
Whitehouse continued to threaten the victims and threw a paving slab through their car window.
Ashley Whitehouse was captured on doorbell footage
The 42-year-old then hurled stones and bricks from a nearby garden at the man before hitting him in the stomach with a large stick.
The victims later discovered their kitchen had been ransacked and a purse containing a bank card had been stolen.
A mobile phone was also recovered from a plant pot by the front door and officers were able to identify it as Whitehouse’s device.
He was arrested at his home around 10am and while being detained headbutted an officer who was left with an injury to her ear.
Whitehouse, of Primrose Way, Worksop, pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
At Nottingham Crown Court on Monday (4 August) Whitehouse was jailed for a total of two years and 11 months.
Detective Constable Amy McMillan, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“It will have been a frightening experience for the victims to be awoken by an intruder and then come face to face with a masked man inside their home.
“Burglary is an offence which can have a deep and lasting impact on those affected. This is why preventing break-ins and bringing burglars to justice is a priority for the force.
“Whitehouse reacted violently to being disturbed and continued his aggressive behaviour by hurling bricks at the victim as he fled and assaulting him.
“When officers tracked him down a short time later he responded by headbutting an officer who was simply doing her job.
“As a force we will not tolerate attacks on officers. Being assaulted and injured while on duty is not part of the job description and never will be.”
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