L-plate car chase thief is guilty

A driving instructor who saw two thieves fleeing a jeweller's shop swapped seats with his pupil and gave chase, a court has heard

Richard Tucker saw two men driving off after the burglary in Bristol, in April 2003. He later lost sight of the fleeing pair.

Royston Hale, 52, was found guilty of burglary by a majority of 10 to two at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday.

His brother, Martin, 53, earlier pleaded guilty to the theft.

The court had heard that a sledgehammer was used to smash the window of the shop in Clifton.

Girlfriend alibi

The thieves took items, never recovered, from the window display.

Hale, of Bethel Road, St George, Bristol, denied being one of the men involved in the burglary, in which stock with a retail value of £200,000 was taken.

When interviewed, Hale told police he had been in bed with a girlfriend at the time of the raid.

The jury took almost four hours to find Hale guilty.

Mr Recorder Barnes warned of a prison sentence, and remanded him in custody until Friday, when he will be sentenced with his brother.