A CAREER criminal who stabbed a retired colonel in the face with a screwdriver has been jailed for six years.

Householders across the north of England will be "heartily glad" 48-year-old Keith Davis is now behind bars, a judge said today.

Davis broke into a house at Stillington, near Easingwold, as pensioner Jeremy Cumberledge and his wife slept.

When Mr Cumberledge discovered the burglar in an upstairs room, a violent struggle started and the pair tumbled downstairs.

Durham Crown Court heard how Mr Cumberledge, 69, feared Davis would stab him as he brandished a weapon, believed to be a knife, and said: "I'm going to use it."

The pair moved to the kitchen and, before fleeing, Davis grabbed a screwdriver-type implement and jabbed the ex-military man's face hitting him below his left eye.

The attack left the pensioner with a puncture wound behind his left eye, a cut to the left cheek and another to the left side of his face.

The court heard the pensioner suffered nightmares after his ordeal and had chest pains which hindered his gardening hobby.

Prosecutor Ron Mitchell said Mr Cumberledge's wife thought her husband may die in the attack. She is now on medication and too frightened to be alone.

Chocolate, cutlery and £400 of military memorabilia, which was later recovered were stolen in the incident at 8.15am, on September 14, last year.

The court was told Davis had struck in homes across North Yorkshire, including properties at Copmanthorpe and Leyburn.

Davis, of no fixed abode, but who hails from the Darlington area, also targeted empty homes in Lancashire and County Durham stealing property worth thousands.

Davis was making his 26th court appearance in four decades. He has been jailed on 14 of those occasions.

Sentencing, Judge Denis Orde said it was obvious many householders in the north would be "heartily glad" Davis has been jailed.

He told the defendant: "You must have caused untold fear, worry and entire terror in some cases". The judge branded Davis an experienced burglar who knew what he was looking for in raids which saw "treasured and irreplaceable" belongings stolen.

Judge Ord said the former colonel escaped without serious injury, but would live with the memory of the ordeal, "night after night". He told Davis: "If you have a conscience it must be troubling you now."

Paul Cleasby, for Davis, said the knives were only used for entering properties. Davis admitted ten burglaries, one aggravated burglary, and one charge of taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. A total of 35 dishonesty offences were taken into account.

Updated: 14:08 Thursday, February 26, 2004