A WORKINGTON man went on a two-day crime spree, which included a house burglary during which the victim had to ‘fight him off’ as he demanded his car keys.

Colin Donald Berry, 28, from Shore Road, Salterbeck, who blamed his behaviour on his drink being spiked, admitted a raft of offences when he appeared at Carlisle Crown Court.

They began on the evening January 31 when Berry spotted a parked Peugeot pizza delivery van in Westfield Drive, Workington. As the driver made his delivery, Berry clambered into the van and drove off.

Fifteen minutes later, he crashed it into a fence on the driveway of a house in Lamplugh, near Frizington. A short time later, a horrified householder in the village heard a loud bang.

Berry had just thrown a brick through a glass front door panel as he tried to break in. The householder was trying to push him out while Berry was demanding the man's keys.

Early the next morning, the defendant broke into a compound in Rowrah, where he stole tools and then illegally drove away in an Iveco truck.

The defendant admitted two counts of disqualified driving, two aggravated vehicle taking, a dwelling house burglary, and a commercial burglary. He also admitted two counts of uninsured driving.

Recorder Eric Lamb jailed the defendant for a year.

Defence barrister Jon Close said Berry – who was terrified of catching Covid-19 in prison – was gutted by what he had done to the family whose home he burgled.

Over a video link, Berry said: “I’m totally gutted that I’ve done that.”

Recorder Eric Lamb told Berry his burglary had a 'devastating effect' on the family who were the victims but the Recorder noted Berry's genuine remorse and his claim that his drink was spiked. The defendant was banned from driving for a year and told he must sit and extended retest before driving unaccompanied.