A CONVICTED burglar broke into a pub and stole cash – less than 24 hours after he appeared in court charged with ‘going equipped for burglary’.

Glen Scott, 48, entered The Lion pub at Woodhouse, Whitehaven, as a trespasser in the early hours of August 6 and stole money from the till and a charity pot, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

He had appeared before the court on Tuesday, when he was given an 18-month suspended prison sentence for burglary, after entering Millets in Whitehaven as a trespasser on July 31 and stealing £291 worth of clothing.

Scott was then back before the court on Friday, accused of 'going equipped for burglary' – with a brick and balaclava in Whitehaven on August 3.

He had been granted bail. He was jailed for eight months on Monday, after the court heard the pub owner’s wife was left 'physically sick' at the thought of him entering the pub when their children could have been there.

Peter Kelly, prosecuting, read out a statement form John Pears, proprietor of the pub, who lives at the pub with his family and had been out having a drink on Friday, August 5.

He had returned to the premises at about 2am and saw the defendant and another individual 'very close to the pub' but 'didn’t pay particular attention to them'.

Mr Pears found the alarm to the pub was going off but couldn’t see any signs of damage or forced entry. He put it down to a pet moving around the property and 'didn’t think too much about it'.

The following morning, another proprietor informed Mr Pears that there had been problems and to look at a window to the property.

Mr Kelly told the court that a window in the men’s toilets had been put in and it became apparent that the till had gone from the pub.

Mr Pears had then checked the CCTV and was able to establish who it was from the items of clothing they were wearing. He had then challenged the co-accused about his behaviour.

A statement from Mrs Pears, who lives at the pub with her husband and children, was also read to the court.

She said she had gone out with her husband for the evening and left a colleague running the bar.

The pub had closed early to allow the colleague to join them later on. Mrs Pears said she was 'physically sick' the following morning when she saw someone had been in their pub and feared that their children could have been inside at the time.

Scott was arrested on suspicion of being involved in a burglary.

Mr Kelly said the defendant declined to come out of his cell in custody and refused to engage with police. Sean Harkin, defending, said Scott had stayed out of trouble for the last 12 months.

He had been able to maintain a methadone prescription but had now fallen back into illegal drug use.

Mr Harkin said Scott had been in the area and was 'desperate' for his next fix. He said the offending was 'not sophisticated by any means' and Scott had made no efforts to hide his identity.

Scott, of Bowness Road, Whitehaven, pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary other than a dwelling.

The defendant was sentenced to a total of eight months in prison and must pay £100 in compensation to the pub owner, upon his release.

Lead magistrate Heather Stuttard told Scott: "You are off to prison for eight months now".

He replied: "Sound".