Wigan bar burglars are jailed

The pair, driving a car stolen in the Wigan area, carried out a series of raids in Lancashire last month, one of which ended violently, Preston Crown Court heard.

Lee Brown, 26, of Muirhead Avenue, Liverpool, and Kurtis Nelson, 26, of Kemsley Road, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to burglary - including of the Posthouse in Orrell - plus motoring offences and were jailed for a total of 88 weeks

The court heard that around 10pm on January 5, three men broke into the Costa coffee shop in Ormskirk before stealing more than £460 from the safe and making off from the scene in a white Audi, reported stolen from an address in Wigan in December.

The same offenders were later seen breaking into the Posthouse Bar at Orrell Post in the early hours of January 6, smashing a window and stealing £200 from a safe and till.

The gang then returned to Ormskirk around 5.20am , breaking into Spit Roast restaurant and stealing cash before accessing the adjoining The Buck I'Th' Vine, setting off an alarm

Police arrived with one officer, who attempted to arrest two of the men, hit on the leg with a crow bar by Nelson. The officer attempted to arrest the offenders, with one making off on foot and Nelson jumping into the Audi, driven by Brown.

The Audi was chased and traced to an address in Kirkby, Liverpool. Brown and Nelson were arrested with safe and till drawers from the Spit Roast and Posthouse seized from inside the Audi.

Nelson and Brown were both charged with three burglary offences and an offence of handling stolen goods.

Brown was also charged with driving while disqualified, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and failing to stop.

Nelson was given a further charge for assault with intent to resist arrest.

Both pleaded guilty to the charges last month, and this week Brown was jailed for 50 weeks and Nelson for 38 weeks by a Preston judge.

Det Insp Steve Monk, of Lancashire Police, said: “Brown and Nelson are brazen and prolific offenders who went on a relentless crime spree targeting a number of addresses, including Ormskirk.

“Thanks to the quick actions of officers, the trio were found caught in the act. Unfortunately one of the offenders made off from the scene, but Nelson and Brown were pursued and later arrested in the Liverpool area.

This was a great cross-border response with excellent work by all involved.

“The officer attacked by Nelson thankfully suffered minor injuries and soon returned to work.”