A burglar has been jailed for two years after stealing comedian Bill Bailey’s tour bus from outside Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall.
Francis John Whittaker, 35, took the Mercedes Sprinter van from outside the Hope Street venue where Mr Bailey was due to perform as part of his Limboland tour on October 26,
He pleaded guilty to burglary and two counts of vehicle theft at Liverpool Crown Court today.
The court heard Whittaker, of The Lynxway in West Derby , had also stolen a Vauxhall Vivaro van belonging to Gerard McKeever on August 17, after walking into the Hilton hotel in Thomas Steers Way, Liverpool City Centre .
Liverpool Crown Court
Andrew Sinker, prosecuting, said a woman helping to set up Mr Bailey’s appearance at the Philharmonic Hall, noticed an Apple iMac laptop worth £1,400 and two sets of keys had been stolen from an office.
He said: “CCTV was looked at and a still was produced. The CCTV showed two males entering the building via an insecure fire door. Whittaker was shown walking through the loading bay and returning 10 to 15 minutes later with an item under his arm.”
The van, which had been hired from a company called Tiger Tours, contained Bill Bailey merchandise and personal items worth around £2,000.
It was recovered on a road in Tuebrook the following month, where it had been abandoned after a collision with a Renault Clio.
Police noted it had been fitted with false number plates.
The court heard a CCTV appeal was issued through the ECHO and Whittaker was arrested on December 3.
Comedian Bill Bailey
When the vehicle was recovered Mr Bailey posted on Twitter: “Tour bus found! Huge thanks to@MerseyPolice @LivEchonews UK press & good people of Liverpool . See you back @liverpoolphil next May.”
The second offence took place while Mr McKeever, a company director, was working at the hotel having been contracted to carry out flooring repairs.
Mr Sinker said the complainant noticed three men including the defendant enter the hotel, and shortly after walked out to his van.
Realising it had been stolen, he checked the hotel CCTV and recognised the same men walking into the bar area, taking his keys and leaving the building.
The court heard the van was worth around £17,000, and contained tools and equipment worth £10-12,000.
It also contained keys to his other car, an Audi, and papers containing his home address.
The court heard some days later Mr McKeever was in bed at his home address and awoke to find two men attempting to unlock the Audi. They left the scene after he shouted from a window.
Charlotte Pringle, representing Whittaker, said her client had struggled for some time with drug and alcohol addiction and was prepared to fight his demons while in custody.
Judge Elizabeth Nicholls, sentencing, said: “The facts of these offences are all too familiar. It’s easy to forget the inconvenience, pain and chaos that was inflicted on those who are the victims of such crime. ”
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/