A SUSPECTED burglar pulled a samurai sword on a man during a confrontation over an alleged spate of shed burglaries, a court heard.

Trevor Francis, of no fixed abode, denies two counts of burglary, one of threatening another with a bladed article, and another of having a bladed article.

Oxford Crown Court heard at the start of the 39-year old's trial yesterday that both break-ins occurred in garden sheds at Little Bury, Blackbird Leys, in the early hours of January 11 this year.

Outlining the case before a jury panel of five women and seven men prosecutor Matthew Turner said that when neighbours woke up to the alleged break-in items had been 'strewn' across the two gardens.

In one of the burglaries, the court heard, items were snatched including a DVD player, a computer screen and clothing.

Scouring the remnants of the ransacking, Mr Turner told jurors, a rucksack was found containing a letter with an address believed to be for a man suspected of being involved in the break-in.

That man - Trevor Francis, the court heard, was also recognised by one neighbour leaving the scene, and it was the same neighbour who went to the address on the letter to warn him to keep away.

Unsuccessful, prosecutors said, the alleged victim was later confronted by Francis who pulled out what was described as a samurai sword, measuring 1 metre in length.

Francis then told the man 'I will f****ing kill you', jurors were told.

The court also heard how after Francis was arrested he denied any part in the burglary or being at Little Bury on the day of the incident.

He accepted owning the rucksack but claimed it had been stolen from a car while had had been shopping at Tesco.

The trial continues.