Thief gets two years

The thief who stole Bill Bailey's tour bus from outside a gig in Liverpool has been jailed for two years.

Francis Whittaker, 35, was sentenced after admitting burglary and two charges of vehicle theft at Liverpool Crown Court.

He took the bus, containing merchandise and Bailey's personal belongings, from outside the city's Philharmonic Hall in October, as the venue was being prepared for his gig.

He was caught on CCTV, stealing the van's keys and an Apple laptop from the venue.

The Mercedes Sprinter was found three days after the theft in a Liverpool suburb with false number plates attached, following a crash.

Whittaker - who has 42 previous convictions for 84 offences – also admitted a separate offence of taking a Vauxhall van from outside the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool in August.

Published: 5 Jan 2016