Judge Peter Bowers reportedly made the remark while sentencing Richard Rochford for a string of burglaries.
The Teesside Crown Court judge also said he thought that prison did criminals "little good".
But David Cameron said burglary was not brave and was a "hateful crime" which violated victims.
Rochford, of Westbourne Grove, Redcar, admitted two burglaries and asked for one more burglary and one attempted burglary to be taken into account.
He was given a two-year supervision order with drug rehabilitation and 200 hours' unpaid work, with a one-year driving ban.
The judge reportedly told the offender: "It takes a huge amount of courage, as far as I can see, for somebody to burgle somebody's house. I wouldn't have the nerve."
Speaking to ITV's Daybreak programme, Mr Cameron said: "I haven't seen the specific case.
"Judges sometimes say things that, you have to read the full context and the rest of it.
"But I'm very clear; burglary is not bravery, burglary is cowardice, burglary is a hateful crime.
"People sometimes say it is not a violent crime, but actually, if you've been burgled, you do feel it was violent, breaking into your home.
"That's why this government is actually changing the law to toughen the rules on self-defence towards burglars."
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