A burglar on crutches beat up a man who tried to stop him ripping away a wall safe at a taxi firm in Tenby.
Dean Phillips, 37, kneed David Sheehan in the testicles before hobbling away empty handed.
Phillips had gone to a taxi firm at The Green, Tenby, at 5.30 am on August 7 last year hoping to book a ride.
But, said Brian Simpson, prosecuting at Swansea Crown Court, the firm was closed and he decided on the spur of the moment to break in despite being on crutches.
He set off an alarm which alerted taxi firm employee Mr. Sheehan, who lived nearby and ran to the scene to find him trying to get away with the safe.
“Phillips was wearing a hoodie and all he could see were his eyes.
“There was a scuffle and he kneed Mr. Sheehan in the testicles and then punched him in the testicles which took his breath away and made his eyes water,” said Mr. Simpson.
Phillips limped away but was seen by people who knew him.
Judge Keith Thomas said he found it extraordinary that Phillips had been charged with burglary but not with assaulting Mr. Sheehan, the man who had tried to stop him.
Phillips, of Castle Street, Pennar, Pembroke Dock, admitted burglary and was jailed for two years.
Phillips also admitted an unconnected offence of wounding by hitting Luke Campbell over the head with a baseball bat in a flat in Haverfordwest.
Police were investigating that offence when he burgled the taxi office.
The court heard he had been offending since the age of 12 and now had 86 previous convictions to his name.