A heroic father who was bludgeoned and stabbed by a masked burglar as he protected his young family, is calling for tougher sentences for the criminals who brought terror to his Hampstead home.

A heroic father who was bludgeoned and stabbed by a masked burglar as he protected his young family, is calling for tougher sentences for the criminals who brought terror to his Hampstead home.

The four were handed sentences of between two and a half years and five years at Wood Green Crown Court on August 21.

Alan Chaytor, his wife and two children were settling down for a family dinner when a gang burst into his multi-million pound mansion through an upstairs window.

A crowbar-wielding thug, his face hidden by a balaclava and a motorcycle helmet, made death threats to Mr Chaytor and rounded on the 46-year-old as he tried to protect his two terrified young children and wife at around 6.30pm on February 1.

Mr Chaytor, who counts footballer Thierry Henry and actor Tom Conti among his neighbours, was thumped and stabbed 20 times with the rusty metal weapon. His five-year-old daughter India, three-year-old son Blake and wife Aliona cowered in the kitchen, listening to the shouting and screaming coming from next door.

Mr Chaytor said: “It took a few seconds for us to register what was going on. We had the kids with us and I hit the panic alarm. One of the gang came downstairs with a crowbar screaming and shouting, ‘I’m going to kill you’.

“Within seconds I had armed myself with my little daughter’s tennis racket and tried to hold him back from going towards the family. Before I had said anything he smashed me on the back of the neck.”

The burglars were tracked down by police to Barnet, using a locating device in a stolen iPad.

Mr Chaytor has blasted the sentences as too lenient and has called for them to be reviewed. He has written to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which brought the case against the group of burglars, detailing his concerns.

Mr Chaytor said: “They are going to be out in a few years and it’s lucky they didn’t kill me. The doctor could not believe I didn’t have broken arms and ribs.

‘‘If I had been hit on the head, I would not be here today.

“These sentences are there to deter people, but if you don’t use them then it can’t be a deterrent.”

A spokesman for the CPS said: “We look at cases on an individual basis. If we feel the sentence has been unduly lenient we refer the case to the Attorney General’s office and he will take the final decision on whether there should be a review.”

If the sentences are deemed to be too lenient they could be referred to the court of appeal.

Kane Franzese, 21, of Bell Lane, Hendon, was jailed for 38 months, Scott Logan, 23, of Westcroft Close in Cricklewood, for five years and Michael Edgar, 22, of no fixed abode, for 40 months.

They pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated burglary, burglary and possession of criminal property.