A SHOP owner who was grabbed by the throat by a burglar who broke into her home has said the sentence he was given by a youth court was too lenient.

Lorna Cowie was making a cup of tea in the flat above To Die For, a clothes shop in Queens Road, Southend, when the crook strolled in.

When she confronted him he said: “I’m here to buy some clothes” before trying to escape through the window of a nearby bedroom.

Because Miss Cowie was in the doorway, blocking his exit, he grabbed her by the throat and pressed her up against the wall.

But her housemate, Jon Briscoe, 40, grappled him to the floor and held him there until police arrived.

He had stolen a mobile phone and a pouch of tobacco.

The 17-year-old later pleaded guilty to burglary at Southend Youth Court and to a public order offence for shouting in the street after he was arrested.

He was given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order, which means he must attend sessions with the Youth Offending Service to address his behaviour. He must also do 160 hours of unpaid work.

But Miss Cowie, 36, criticised the sentence.

She said: “Now he’s going to be walking past the shop basically laughing at us, saying I broke into your house, smashed you against the door and I got nothing.

“What’s that telling his mates? That they can do the same and not get anything for it.”

The attack left Miss Cowie with some bruising, and she is now extremely nervous around the house.

She refuses to leave windows open, and is looking to get bars installed.

She added: “I had to go to the doctor to get medication to calm me down, and for the first few days I couldn’t sleep.

“I had to sleep on the floor in Jon’s room. Even the dog was in a very strange mood, acting very jumpy.”

Mr Briscoe was annoyed because he had held back on punching the burglar, and simply restrained him, risking being injured himself.

He said: “If this was to happen again I wouldn’t hold back so much. It was much more dangerous for me not to damage this kid, and I’m wondering why I bothered.”

The court heard the boy had already been given a youth referral order in 2009 for a previous offence.

In mitigation, Emily Grewock said he had been to his cousin’s wedding before the break-in and was drunk.

She added: “It’s unknown to him why he did it or how he came to get into this property.”

The boy must also pay £100 compensation to Miss Cowie.