HAPLESS ram raiders destroyed the front of a garage shop using a stolen car but only managed to steal two bottles of coke.

Bungling Barrie Simpson was jailed for his part in the botched burglary at the Spar shop at the Esso garage in Worcester Road, Droitwich, which caused nearly £14,000 of damage.

Simpson and partner in crime Michael O'Grady were after cigarettes and cash from the safe but left with nothing but two bottles of coke worth £3.38.

Costs included £2,400 damage to the shop front, the loss of a day's trading (£11,000) and £448 to pay staff to protect the damaged shop from further looting.

The 36-year-old father of Randwick Drive, Warndon, Worcester, admitted the burglary at Worcester Crown Court.

The unemployed dad had nothing to cover his face and was recognised by a PCSO from CCTV footage following the Bank Holiday raid at about 12.30am on Monday, August 29.

Christopher Lester, prosecuting, said a car was reversed into the front of the shop. One of the men, driver Michael O'Grady of no fixed address, covered his face but Simpson did not.

He said: "They jumped the counter and tried to break into the cigarette cabinet but it was locked and they could not get into it."

They also tried unsuccessfully to break into a safe and, as they were leaving, stole two bottles of Coca-Cola from the display stand.

Mr Lester said: "The one not wearing the face cover, who was this defendant, was identified from the CCTV by a police community support officer who had dealings with him in the past.

"The other man, with the face mask, was Michael O'Grady. He was sentenced for that offence, nine other burglaries and the theft of the car which was used in that offence as well as making off without payment for the day before."

O'Grady, aged 49, was sentenced on April 5 to five years in prison and the prosecution could not explain why they were not sentenced at the same time.

Simpson was interviewed by a probation officer before he was sentenced. He told him it was 'an impulsive offence' that 'just happened', claiming his co-defendant was the main protagonist.

Simpson told the probation officer he had been using drugs since the age of 13 and had taken both crack cocaine and heroin. However, he has been on a methadone prescription since 2009.

He had been homeless, either on the streets or sofa surfing, but secured his Worcester flat four years ago. Simpson said he suffered from ADHD and depression and had suffered nerve damage to one of his hands following an accident.

Belinda Ariss, defending, said Simpson had worked hard to come off drugs and had reduced his methadone prescription.

Ms Ariss described the ram raid as 'spur of the moment' and 'unsophisticated'.

Judge Nicolas Cartwright, sentencing, said they had only managed to steal two bottles of coke but thus very much understated the overall seriousness of the harm caused.

He said: "The car you were a passenger in had been stolen only one day before in a car key burglary."

Aggravating features were the significant damage caused, the level of planning, deliberate targeting of the premises, the fact Simpson had acted as part of a group or gang and his previous offending which included commercial burglaries for which he had been jailed.

He added: "People don't just spontaneously and accidentally reverse into the front of a closed shop to get cigarettes."

Judge Cartwright said Simpson had denied the offence in interview and so had shown no immediate remorse.

He sentenced him to 22 months immediate custody, half of which he can expect to serve in prison and half on licence.

Simpson must also pay a victim surcharge.

DI Stuart Murphy of Priority CID at West Mercia Police said after the hearing: "For two bottles of coke they have caused mayhem. It was a great team effort that put these men behind bars where they need to be to protect the public from harm."