TWO co-workers have appeared in court for stealing more than 1,000 boxes of contact lenses from a lorry while the driver was asleep in the cab.

Barry Sheil and Michael Steele both admitted theft when they appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday to be sentenced.

They stole the contact lenses from a lorry parked at Hopwood Park Services near Redditch, a hole having been cut in the flap, but were spotted by another lorry driver who noted down the registration of their van.

Both denied they had cut the hole and no evidence was offered on eight further counts of vehicle interference with not guilty verdicts recorded.

Sheil, aged 33, of St Wilfred's Grove, Leeds and Steele, aged 24, of Parkside Parade, Leeds said in their basis of plea said that someone else had cut open a flap on the side of an HGV but they admitted taking the daily disposable lenses.

Ian Ball, prosecuting, said the driver was asleep at around 2am on March 1 this year when he was woken by another driver who had got up to use the toilet at the services.

The other driver had noticed two men next to the lorry before they drove off.

Mr Ball said: “He had the presence of mind to get a registration number.”

This allowed police to intercept the vehicle and seize the stolen lenses.

Mr Ball said police found 28 large boxes, each containing 45 smaller boxes (1,260 of the smaller boxes were recovered).

Each of the smaller boxes contained 30 daily disposable contact lenses.

Mr Ball said the total value of the contact lenses stolen was around £7,000 although the value was disputed by Adam Western who represented Sheil.

Mr Ball said 248 boxes of contact lenses, each worth £5.77, were damaged and had to scrapped because they could not be resold, causing damage of £1,431.

Before the hearing Sheil had 15 previous convictions and seven cautions. Ten of these for theft or similar offences, including going equipped and shoplifting. Other convictions include possession of an offensive weapon, possession of cocaine and two failures to comply with a community order in August and December 2014.

Steele had 16 previous convictions and four cautions, including for burglary dwelling and burglary non-dwelling as a juvenile. He has a conviction for handling stolen goods from 2008. His last conviction was in 2010.

Adam Western, for Sheil, said: “It was an opportunistic theft. It falls into lesser role with little or no planning.”

A probation officer who interviewed Sheil said: “Alcohol is the single biggest concern. He describes himself as a functional alcoholic. He drinks every day. He has been drinking today already. He describes a sort of vicious spiral of alcohol and cocaine use.”

He said Steele, a father of two, had much the same background but did not drink alcohol at all.

Both men work for Oakleaf Construction.

Judge Robert Juckes handed both men a 12 month community order. They must pay £715.50 each for the damaged contact lenses and £225 each in court costs.

Each of them has to complete 125 hours of unpaid work. Sheil will be given a 12 month alcohol treatment requirement.