A "well respected" businessman convicted of three crimes after running a "spurious" trial has been spared prison.

Darren Connell, 38, had protested his innocence at Carlisle Crown Court in the face of allegations which related to the mysterious disappearance of Ford Transit van.

But after hearing all the evidence during his trial, a jury swiftly convicted Connell of theft, fraud and perverting the course of justice.

He returned to court and was sentenced by Recorder Julian Shaw.

Jurors had heard that police spoke to Connell in 2012 after two witnesses saw the Ford van he had hired from Hertz fleeing a crime scene.

There was nothing to connect him with that incident, the court heard.

Company director Connell later reported the van had been stolen from outside the Carlisle home of an employee.

It was never traced or found again intact.

But in 2014, when police paid a visit to Connell's business base at Canonbie in Dumfriesshire, several spare parts matching the Transit were found.

These included a door which, one officer found, was operated by a spare key retrieved from Hertz.

Jurors concluded Connell stole the van and made a false representation to his insurer.

He also told police the van was taken by others, and that he didn't know where it was.

Lawyer Paul Tweddle gave mitigation for Connell who, he conceded, "has been extremely stupid in this particular case".

But Mr Tweddle said: "He is someone who has a wide business and social network, and is well respected in the local community.

"It is even more astonishing that he has allowed himself to become embroiled in the situation."

Recorder Shaw concluded that Connell, of Liddel Road, Longtown, "ran a spurious trial which the jury saw through in the space of 25 minutes".

But having considered the mitigation, background information and character references, the judge suspended a 24-month jail sentence for two years.

Connell must complete 250 hours' unpaid work and pay £1,211.20 to a company which probed his criminal conduct.