A Felixstowe father-of-three has told how he grappled with a burglar he found asleep on his sofa after he and his fiancée returned from their stag and hen nights.

Ipswich Star: Thomas MoneyThomas Money (Image: Archant)

Michael Day said intruder Thomas Money had even thrown his bride-to-be’s wedding dress on the bedroom floor as he vandalised the home.

Fortunately, it wasn’t damaged and Mr Day’s partner Louise could still wear it at their wedding six days later.

Money, who had only come out of prison the previous day, also urinated on a rug, stubbed cigarettes out on a carpet and fireplace, and had strewn jewellery all over the couple’s bed.

The Days arrived home together in a taxi at around 4.30am on October 8 following their respective hen and stag nights to discover the drunk 57-year-old sleeping in their living room.

Mr Day, 38, said: “Me and Louise did a double take, looked at him, looked at each other, then looked at him again.

“We looked at his face to see if he was someone we knew and said ‘what are you doing on our sofa?’.

“He was mumbling. We couldn’t understand a word he was saying.

“I was on my way to throwing him out of the front door and looked around the kitchen and saw the children’s schoolbags. They were bulging with our belongings, clothing, a pot noodle and some really random things.

“With that we carried on throwing him out and that’s when he turned round and punched me on the side of the face.

“As I held him down he decided to take a nice chunk of my hand out with his teeth, but I was not going to let him go for love nor money.”

Money, who has more than 100 previous convictions, bit the transport manager while Louise, 40, was making her 999 call. Mr Day recalls hearing her say to the control room operator “Oh my God he’s biting him”.

Police arrived shortly afterwards to arrest Money.

Mr Day said: “We were angry and upset. The only good thing about it was knowing who had done it.”

As the Days had gone out their children - two boys aged seven and 11, and an 18-month-old daughter - were being looked after elsewhere overnight.

Mr Day said after he was bitten by Money he needed a tetanus jab and was given antibiotics, but he was not seriously injured.

Earlier this week Money, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to burglary and assault. He was jailed for three years and six months.

Sentencing him Judge David Goodin said: “This was a vile desecration of this family’s home. Mr Day and his partner were looking forward to their marriage and you took her wedding dress and hurled it to the floor.”

Andrew Spence, for Money, said his client had been looking for somewhere to spend the night and was disgusted with himself for offending so soon after coming out of prison.