Wife describes how she was allegedly punched in the face by a home invader who 'bit off her husband's finger and CHEWED it' - before hero neighbours hear the BURGLAR'S cry for help and save the day
A woman has described her horrifying ordeal of allegedly being punched in the face by a home invader who bit her partner's finger off and chewed it.
Carol Ballack was sitting on her veranda at about 10pm on Monday when she heard rustling coming from the patio of her home on a quiet cul-de-sac in Mandurah, south of Perth.
After peeking her head around the corner, she allegedly saw Jake Ryan Prescott rummaging through the fridge and immediately called her partner Chris to help shoo him away.
Moments later, the 23-year-old bolted through the lattice towards Chris at '100 miles an hour' and knocked the man in his 60s to the ground.
Pictured: Carol Ballack and her partner Chris. The pair tried to fend off an alleged home invader on Monday
Jake Prescott is accused of Ms Ballack in the face and biting off a part of Chris' finger during a home invasion
'I couldn't see anything and I just thought if he's got a knife, we're done for. So I was very very frightened,' Ms Ballack told The West Australian.
Chris wrestled his way on top of the 'strong' intruder who was 'wriggling around, screaming and shouting'.
When Prescott allegedly told Chris 'I am going to kill you,' Ms Ballack became hysterical.
'Chris was on top of him, holding him down, trying to talk to him and then (the intruder said) 'I'm going to kill you' and I didn't know if he'd picked up a piece of glass or what his next action was going to be,' she said.
Upon hearing Prescott's screams, Leanne Bridson, her partner Colin Ogg and their daughter Georgia arrived at the home
Leanne Bridson is pictured with her partner Colin Ogg. They ran over to help after they heard 'screaming and banging'
Ms Brisdon (her partner Colin pictured) previously told the publication Chris was on top of the alleged intruder when they arrived
Ms Ballack, also in her 60s, desperately tried to prize the men apart as Prescott began biting at the grandfather.
'Chris stood up and said "he's bitten off a piece of my finger", and it was just raw and bleeding like you couldn't believe,' she told radio station 6PR.
Panicked, she grabbed a coal scuttle - a metal bucket used for storing small chunks of coal - and whacked the alleged invader with it on the knees and the shins.
'He was so strong it was unbelievable,' she said. 'I got a whack on the jaw, my hands were bruised.'
Ms Ballack , also in her 60s, desperately tried to prize the men apart as Prescott began biting at the grandfather
Mr Prescott was taken into custody by police when they arrived at the scene
Upon hearing Prescott's yelps for help, the couple's neighbours Colin Ogg, Leanne Bridson and their daughter Georgia rushed to the home.
Ms Brisdon previously told the publication Chris was on top of the alleged intruder when they arrived.
'Colin stepped in - he had a bit of trouble at the start as the man was really going off. It felt like forever, everything just went into slow motion,' she said.
By the time police arrived, there were four people holding the man down.
Leanne Bridson (pictured left with her daughter Georgia) said she rushed with her husband Colin to help the couple
Mr Prescott (pictured,) was refused bail and will remain in custody until he fronts the Mandurah Magistrates Court on January 5
Ms Ballack said it was impossible to try and speak with Prescott who she described as a 'maniac' who 'wasn't coherent'.
She explained that he was calling out to people that weren't there and pleading with the couple to leave him alone, despite allegedly threatening to kill Chris.
The tip of his mottled finger was found, but it was so damaged it could not be reattached.
The middle finger on his left hand will now be shorter than the the others, but he remains hopeful that he will be able to play guitar again.
Mr Ogg said he held down the alleged intruder as he thrashed around on the ground so he wouldn't run off
Pictured: Georgia Bridson - who was by her mother's side as she recounted her involvement in the alleged violent home invasion
'It's not something I'm really proud of,' Chris said.
'I just had to do what I had to do. I'm more sad than anything that it had to come to that,' he said.
He expressed gratitude to his neighbours who intervened.
The couple were traumatised and saddened by the experience, but added that they were grateful he allegedly invaded their home and not the property of a helpless elderly person.
Prescott was refused bail in court on Tuesday and faced charges including aggravated bodily harm, aggravated assault, and trespassing.
He will appear in court again on January 5.