Burglar who bit 66-year-old now behind bars after his tooth found in washing machine

A crazed burglar bit a pensioner during a break-in in Castle Bromwich − but he’s now behind bars after West Midlands Police traced him from a tooth dislodged during the attack!

Lee Francis broke into the house in Manor Park Road on the night of 8th May but was disturbed when the homeowner returned to find him rummaging through an upstairs bedroom.

The 66-year-old bravely tackled Francis and, during a struggle, was bitten with such force he was left with a fractured finger.

Francis went on to assault the man’s 93-year-old mother − who laid into him with a walking stick as the pair tussled on the kitchen floor − before fleeing with property valued at almost £2,000.

However, on 18th July − more than two months after the break-in − the victims found a tooth in their washing machine.

The incisor was handed over to West Midlands Police detectives…and when forensics experts analysed the tooth it returned a DNA hit to 39-year-old Francis.

He was arrested and later charged with burglary, assault and drugs production after a small cannabis factory was uncovered in the loft of his home in Timberley Lane, Shard End.

And on 3rd November at Birmingham Crown Court Francis admitted the offences and was jailed for a total of six years and four months.

Solihull Police Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Tagg, said: “During the scuffle a washing basket was upended and it seems that one of Francis’ teeth − which fell out due to the ferocity of the bite − ended up mixed in with the dirty washing.

“It stayed undetected for several weeks until the residents heard it rattling around in the washing machine.

“Initially it was unclear if it was a human or animal tooth…but when it was ground down and analysed by forensics it identified Francis as the former owner.

“This was a really nasty incident: the man described hearing a crunch when Francis bit his finger and suffered a fracture and tendon damage.

“At one stage he also grabbed him around the neck and threatened to strangle him.

“Francis has rightly been sent to prison for a considerable period of time and residents in Solihull will be all the safer as a result.”

Read more: http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/latest-news/news.aspx?id=5133