A HAPLESS Swindon burglar who was caught on a shop store roof has managed to avoid jail.

A court heard the drug addict had moved to Bath to escape vengeful London dealers.

His friend with whom he had broken in to the Premier store in Colerne, Wiltshire, was less lucky. The August theft attempt landed him with an 18 week spell in prison.

Swindon magistrates were told Shane Reed, 36, formerly of Whitehead Street, had broken into to the store on August 7 with friend Matthew Cook, 39, of no fixed address. The pair hoped to find items they could sell to fund their class A drug habit.

But their smash-and-grab raid was foiled by police, who caught Cook fleeing from the shop and found Reed skulking on the roof.

Heroin addict Reed was said to have moved back to Bath recently in a bid to escape his drug dealers. Allegedly, the London drug gang felt Reed owed them cash, after he failed to sell wax and coffee masquerading as heroin.

Both Reed and Cook pleaded guilty to charges attempted burglary and failing to supply a specimen for analysis over suspicions they were guilty of drug driving. Keys to a Mercedes were found in Cook’s possession when police collared them at the Premier store.

Defending, Mark Glendenning, said Reed had been unable to provide a second urine sample after a drugs wipe had flagged recent drugs use.

He said: “Mr Reed and Mr Cook have been cut from the same cloth.” They both struggled from heroin use.

The burglary “was not really thought-through”, he added. “It was a fairly one-off offence.”

Cook, who committed the Premier burglary while on a post-sentence supervision order after a previous jail spell, was in a more “difficult position”, Mr Glendenning admitted: “He accepts he hasn’t had any recent contact [with the probation service].” But he said Cook wanted to change his ways.

The solicitor said: “They apologise they have caused some inconvenience to the shopkeeper.”

Reed was given an 18 month community order by magistrates and told to complete 25 drug rehabilitation activity days. He must pay a £98 fine, costs of £85, a victim surcharge of £85 and compensation of £263.95 to Premier. Reed was also given a 36 month driving ban. Cook must serve 18 weeks in prison, pay £263.95 compensation.and is banned from driving for 81 weeks.