Woman walks free after novelist burglary

A burglar, caught by novelist Will Self and his wife Deborah Orr after a struggle, has walked free from court.

In April, heroin addict Tania Chaves, 29, was convicted by a jury of burglary and assault causing actual bodily harm at the couple's home in in Stockwell, south London.

Newspaper columnist Miss Orr was bitten five times on her hand by Chaves before Mr Self and a passer-by came and held her until police arrived.

Chaves was sentenced to a 12-month drug treatment order but was released because she had already served 12 months while waiting for her case.

If you break your drug addiction, you are, in my opinion, unlikely to commit further offences

Judge Peter Grobel

Sentencing her, Judge Peter Grobel told her it was clear she was an "habitual burglar" who had repeatedly broken into other peoples homes in a bid to feed her "severe drug addiction".

The judge said if she was put behind bars once more "it is likely that after your release you will again burgle".

Fortunately, for her future, the law now provided for an "intensive" drug treatment and testing regime which was closely monitored by the courts.

"It means there is a prospect you may break your drug addiction and if you break your drug addiction, you are, in my opinion, unlikely to commit further offences," the judge added.

Previous convictions

Heroin addict Tania Chaves, 29, of now fixed address, apparently tricked the couple's four-year-old son into letting her in, Inner London Crown Court was told.

The first time anyone suspected something amiss was when Miss Orr intuitively felt all was not well, went to investigate and noticed the door of the four-storey house open.

Seconds later Chaves walked down the stairs and a struggle followed in which Miss Orr was bitten five times on her hand before her husband, who had been on the phone, heard her screams and rushed to her rescue.

He pulled her away and only just managed to hold on to Chaves - who has 14 previous burglary convictions - as she desperately fought to escape, the court was told.

Eventually a passer-by joined in and held her over the front gate until police arrived.