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Two men who stripped away lead from a Wigan town library, leaving it vulnerable to the elements have been spared jail.

Sean Roberts and Callum Holgate had originally pleaded not guilty to their roles in scavenging the metal flashing from the roof of Ashton Library in March 2020.

But they later changed their pleas to guilty.

The hearing was told that Wigan Council was notified of the theft immediately afterwards so they were able to take measures to protect the building from further damage.

The lead theft from Ashton Library's roof was detected swiftly and addressed before any weather damage could be inflicted

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At Bolton Crown Court Roberts, 25, of Beverley Road in Marsh Green, was given an 18-month community order involving 30 days of rehabilitation activities and 100 hours of unpaid work, while 20-year-old Holgate, of Falkirk Grove in Norley, received a 15-month custodial term in a young offenders' institution although this was suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Earlier this year Lee O’Shea, 35, of Petticoat Lane, Ince, also pleaded guilty to the lead thefts and was jailed for eight months.

That was to be served consecutively to a 12-month prison sentence that had been imposed for causing actual bodily harm and six months for dangerous driving – bringing the total sentence to 26 months behind bars.

O’Shea was given concurrent sentences of six months for taking a vehicle without consent, three months for driving while disqualified and seven days for breaching bail.

He was also disqualified from driving for four years.

Two men who scavenged lead from a Wigan library roof are punished by the courts