THE two burglars crumbled under questioning from a professional prosecutor when they represented themselves in court and tried to make a case for their innocence. And one of the men claimed they were “stitched up” by police.

Andrew Hill and Phillip Robertson claimed to have “sacked” their solicitor Robert Glendenning due to a “difference of opinion” at their trial.

First, they tried to poke holes in witness testimony during brief cross-examinations.

After Lisa Philpott gave evidence, which included the suggestion that she saw two men in a “four-by-four Range Rover-type vehicle”, Robertson said: “We were sat in a silver Peugeot 104, not a Range Rover - are you sure that the people you saw in the vehicle were the same people who jumped over the wall? Had you been drinking?”

Lisa replied: “I can’t be sure but there was no-one else around - and no, I hadn’t been drinking, I’d been working.”

Later, it was the defendants’ turns to give evidence and face questioning.

MAIN STORY: Bungled raid at car wash nets burglars just £59

Robertson said: “England were playing in the World Cup and wWe had been watching football. We weren’t at the Dockle or the New Inn, we were in another pub around the corner, I can’t remember what it’s called. After that, we went to our vehicle for a smoke - but it wasn’t cannabis.

“I got into the vehicle, about to roll one up, and that’s when the police came over and arrested us for the burglary. It’s as short and sweet and simple as that.”

Roxanne Cole, prosecuting, pointed out: “The police could smell cannabis in your van and you said it was yours at the time.

“It was a Wednesday morning at 1.30am, not many people were around at that time on a weekday morning and the football game would have been finished hours ago.

“Are you saying it’s a coincidence that two people jumped over a wall into a car park where you and Mr Hill happened to be? They were wearing something covering their faces and a face-covering mask was found in your vehicle.”

Robertson replied: “Yes it is a coincidence, and it’s more of a neck-warmer.”

The prosecution continued: “It was described as a face mask, and dark clothing fitting the description of that worn by the two men was also found in your van.”

Things got heated whenever a set of brass keys from the car wash was mentioned. One police officer recounted that he’d found the keys on the defendants’ van dashboard and these were later confirmed by the car wash owner to be his, but the pair tried to make it sound like a mistake or mix-up of some sort.

Robertson insisted: “There were no keys in my vehicle, we didn’t have no keys.”

Hill gave similar testimony to Robertson which, according to the prosecution, differed significantly from their original alibi about finding keys on the floor near the car wash around the same time as the burglary.

They were asked why this was the first time they’d told the Crown about this new alibi - they blamed their former solicitor, who was not present to counter their claims. Miss Cole queried whether they’d come up with this new alibi on the day of their trial.

Robertson summarised the case for the defence: “I’m a working man, I’ve always paid my taxes, and this seems like a stitch-up by the officers.”

They were both found guilty.