A WORKINGTON man blamed a two-day crime spree which culminated in him burgling the home of a terrified family on somebody spiking his drink.

Carlisle Crown Court heard how an alarmed householder in Lamplugh had frantically fought off 28-year-old Colin Donald Berry after he threw a brick through a glass front door panel and desperately tried to get in.

As he did this, Berry – who appeared to be “off his head” – repeatedly demanded the victim’s car keys.

Berry, of Shore Road, Salterbeck, who had already illegally made off with a pizza van and crashed it, went on to take a second vehicle from a compound at Rowrah, where he stole various tools.

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

The crime spree began on the evening of January 31 when Berry spotted a parked Peugeot pizza delivery van in Westfield Drive, Workington. As the driver made his delivery, Berry jumped into the van and drove away.

Fifteen minutes later he crashed it into a fence at Lamplugh, near Frizington. It was shortly after this that a nearby householder heard a crashing sound. Berry had thrown a brick through a glass front door panel.

As he tried to get in, the householder – whose young daughter was woken by the commotion – tried to to push him away. “The incident left the whole family feeling unsafe,” said prosecutor Michael Maher.

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

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 genuinely sorry for his actions.

Over a video link, Berry apologised, saying: “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.