A NISSAN car manufacturing worker quit his job following his arrest after “foolishly” taking part in a burglary and sneak theft with two youths.

Stuart Weldon was jailed for 18 months after paying the price for agreeing to give the teenagers a lift to the scene of the crimes.

Durham Crown Court heard that Weldon not only drove to the scene, but he also took part in the offences, on February 26 this year.

Phillip Morley, prosecuting, said the first involved a break-in at a bungalow alongside riding stables, at Eden Vale, Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, shortly after 8am.

Keys to a Hyundai car, parked outside the bungalow, were taken by the intruder and it was driven off in tandem with a waiting Mercedes vehicle.

Mr Morley said a short time later Weldon tried to take a hand bag from the front passenger seat of a car parked outside Tanfield Lea Community Centre, near Stanley.

But he left empty handed after being confronted by two women from the centre, one of whom he pushed in a brief scuffle.

Mr Morley said Weldon was arrested later after police went to his home and saw the stolen Hyundai parked outside.

Despite giving no answers in police interviews the 34-year-old defendant, of Hartford Road, Sunderland, admitted burglary, taking a vehicle without consent, theft and common assault, four days before his scheduled trial.

Chris Morrison, mitigating, said the crimes were “opportunistic”, with no pre-planning, as Weldon “foolishly” agreed to a request to give two accomplices a lift that morning, in return for petrol money.

As a result he has been in custody since his arrest, and quit his well-paid job, although the “hard worker” understands he can return to Nissan on completing his sentence.

Jailing him, Judge Simon Hickey told Weldon the public would “demand” a custodial sentence given his actions that morning.

The court heard the two accomplices are being dealt with via the youth court.