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The university academic who suffered horrific injuries when savaged by burglars feared they would torture him - with a FLAME THROWER.

Law professor Paul Kohler was beaten as they demanded money and his daughter hid upstairs at their £2 million home in Wimbledon, South West London.

Last week four thugs admitted a violent burglary that left 55-year-old Mr Kohler with horrific injuries that required surgery.

The Polish gang had threatened to bash him over the head with a wooden a cabinet when police burst in and arrested Mariusz Tomaszewski and Pawel Honc.

(Image: Metropolitan Police/PA Wire)

But in an interview with The Times Mr Kohler expressed fears that it could have been even worse. A flamethrower was found in the boot of the thugs' car and Mr Kohler feared it would have been used on him.

In an interview with the newspaper, he said: "What were they planning on doing? It is just very concerning."

Prof Kohler has since gone back to his three-storey home and have spent time laying down in the spots where the beatings took place.

"It was about reclaiming the space," said. The gang's motive is still unknown but the professor believes it was a case of mistaken identity.

He said: "There was no money, I have never got anything for God’s sake. They just didn’t believe it."

(Image: Cascade News)

Tomaszewski, 32, Honc, 23, Oskar Pawlowichz, 29, and Dawid Tychon, also 29, all pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at Kingston crown court.

Barristers for all four said they wanted to express “sincere regret and apologies”.

But Mr Kohler, whose view of his attackers was blocked by frosted glass, said he would like to meet them face-to-face before he accepted their apologies.

The lecturer, who also part-owns a bar on The Strand in Central London, said: “I need to look in their eyes first. I would have to see them say it to me. I would like to know why they did it – we still don’t know.

“I was saying to them I don’t have any money. I’m an academic for God’s sake."

(Image: Cascade News)

Honc and Tomaszewski also admitted grievous bodily harm with intent. Charges of GBH against the other two were dropped after they pleaded not guilty. The four will be sentenced in January.