A CAREER criminal who was left with multiple broken bones after being caught by his victim told a court today: "I got what I deserved."

Car crook John Miles was tracked down with a stolen Nissan Juke after the owner started a Facebook campaign to find his missing motor.

When the £15,000 hatchback was spotted in a Hartlepool town centre street, the owner and a friend quickly made their way there.

Miles fled after claiming he had bought the car for just £100 from a pal - but he was chased and struck by a car before being detained by the two men.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 40-year-old suffered a fractured shoulder, broken ribs and a broken hand when he was knocked down.

His barrister, Nigel Soppitt, said: "When he was apprehended, it was fairly rough. He is not complaining. He says 'I deserve what happened'.

"He was driven at by somebody. It was rough summary justice. He is getting a little long in the tooth, too old to be in these courts."

The break-in happened less than 12 hours after Miles appeared before magistrates for shoplifting and was given a suspended jail term.

The drug addict - who has a record containing 91 offences - was said to have taken a cocktail of heroin, crack cocaine and pills.

When the house was broken into in the early hours, electricals and jewellery were put in the family car and driven away.

Miles and an accomplice got away with two lap-top computers, three watches, wallets, a handbag, cash and bank cards from the Hartlepool semi.

The owner said in an impact statement: "I feel violated that this happened when we were sleeping. These people have violated me and my family.

"I now feel so unsafe . . . the children could have gone downstairs while this was happening."

He woke later that morning to find the Nissan missing, and appealed for help from people on Facebook to trace it.

Within hours, he had a message saying it had been seen in Dent Street and rushed there with a mate who took his car to the scene.

Miles ran off when he was challenged, but was detained by the owner and his friend until the police arrived, said prosecutor Sue Jacobs.

The court heard how Miles was first convicted of burglary as a 17-year-old, and was jailed for five years for robbery in 2003.

He admitted burglary, taking a vehicle without consent and driving without a licence or insurance, and was jailed for 26 months.

Mr Soppitt said: "This is not the sort of thing he generally does these days. He offends prolifically, but usually nuisance offences."

The judge, Recorder Henry Prosser told Miles, of Derwent Street, Hartlepool, it would be "ludicrous" if he was not locked up.

"Not only were the adult occupants in the house, there were children there as well," he said. "It was at night as they slept."