Licensee catches burglar red handed
The Chequers Inn licensee Darren McKechnie said he instinctively grabbed the burglar after he heard the havoc coming from the bar area just before 5am on 19 November last year.
McKechnie restrained the “prolific” pub burglar, Nicholas Jackson, 47, and kept him restrained until the police arrived at the site in Chilwell in Nottingham.
McKechnie, who had a knee replacement operation just a few weeks earlier, said: “I didn't think. He was in my premises and it’s happened to so many pubs around here the landlords are getting tired of it. It was just instinct.
“I held his arms by the wrist and lay on top of him. I’m 18 stone and I'm not easy to shift.”
A brave act
McKechnie, who has been a landlord at the Chequers for four-and-a-half years, was bitten in the stomach and endured a cut on his foot from broken glass on the floor during the struggle.
He said his wife came downstairs after hearing the commotion and called the police while he kept Jackson restrained.
Nottingham Police detective constable Jann Olsen said: “This was an incredibly brave act by Mr McKechnie to detain Jackson until officers arrived.”
Face justice
Olsen added: “While we would not encourage people to put themselves in harm’s way as he did – and he did suffer some injuries in the incident – he has helped us to ensure a prolific offender faces justice and I'm sure pub landlords in the area will be thankful that he was on hand to detain him.”
Jackson had recently been released from prison for pub burglaries when he broke into the Chequers Inn. After he was arrested, he was later admitted burglary and battery in connection with the incident and was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday 16 January.
He was given a two-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and attend 10 rehabilitation days. He must also pay £800 compensation and £200 toward prosecution costs.
