A habitual thief who hacked a man in the neck with a machete after being surprised during a break-in has been jailed for 13 years.

Kimlo Charles Webb fled the scene of the attack — but was caught on home security footage.

The Supreme Court heard that Larry Woolgar, of Richmond Road, Pembroke, installed cameras in his residence after noticing items had gone missing — including a machete with a 16-inch blade.

According to Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Cindy Clarke, Webb’s victim was awoken at 3.20am on February 26, and noticed that his porch light had been turned off.

At the sound of someone rifling through his office, Mr Woolgar found a masked male figure, armed with a machete, going through his desk.

Webb charged at him, pursued the 61-year-old into the bedroom, and chopped him with the machete around the face and neck.

The court heard he told his victim: “Don’t f**k around — where is your wallet?”

The other man sustained serious wounds to his right cheek, lower neck and right hand.

The victim handed over his wallet, which Webb emptied of an unknown amount of cash.

Webb then demanded the resident hand turn off the CCTV camera, and open one of the desk drawers. He used the machete to chop the camera down.

The injured man struggled with him, trying to take the machete off Webb, and during the tussle they stumbled out the front door and fell on the lawn. Webb’s cap fell off before he managed to escape.

The machete, believed to be the same one stolen from the residence, was also left behind.

Mr Woolgar was treated in hospital for a 10cm slash to his face. His right hand required surgery for a severed tendon, and he may never fully recover full use of his hand.

Police analysed the CCTV footage, which showed Webb breaking a pane on the door and unlocking it.

They arrested Webb two days later at his Pembroke home and found clothing that matched those used in the burglary. Webb was also identified by DNA found on his cap.

The court heard from Detective Constable Seymour Foote that Webb, who is unemployed, has admitted being addicted to heroin.

In Webb’s social report, he denied being under the influence of drugs, showed no remorse toward his victim, and described the attack as being like “an out of body experience”.

He has 36 previous convictions for various dishonesty offences, and in April was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment for handling a $150 stolen watch.

Preparing to sentence Webb, Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons told him he was wholly culpable for the “sustained and repeated assault”.

She added that Webb, 45, had appeared in another court not long before his latest break-in — for committing a similar offence against another person on the same property.

For wounding with intention to cause grievous bodily harm, Webb was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.

He was given a term of 13 years for aggravated burglary. The sentences are to run concurrently, with time in custody taken into account.