A REDNAL man who helped carry out a smash and grab raid on a music shop in Stourport is now behind bars.

Lee Wood, 45, of Thornswaite Close, along with John Bray, 30, of Middle Meadow Lane, Quinton, pleaded guilty to burglary and other driving offences at Worcester Crown Court.

Their haul from the raid was four guitars worth £1,600 from Worley Strings and Things in York Street. All the instruments were recovered.

Richard Franck, prosecuting, said the raid took place in the early hours of Tuesday, September 2, when the large plate glass window of the shop was smashed. The noise alerted neighbours, who alerted police about a silver Audi seen at the scene.

The burglars drove at 90mph in a 40mph limit on the edge of Halesowen in a bid to escape before they abandoned their car and were arrested by police, said Mr Franck.

Just over an hour later, the car was seen on the A456 Manor Way and went on a roundabout route for three miles before it was abandoned in White Road.

Wood, who had a long list of previous convictions, also admitted dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking and having no insurance or driving licence.

Bray, who had convictions stretching back to 1998, also pleaded guilty to allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle.

Wood was jailed for three years and seven months and disqualified from driving for two years. Bray was jailed for two years and four months.

Siobhan Collins, for Wood, said he had spent much of the last 24 years in custody which left him institutionalised. He had also been treated for bi-polar disease.

Bray, said Neil Davies, was remorseful and and had suffered from panic attacks.

Judge Michael Cullum described Wood as a "career burglar" who had been given a suspended prison sentence for burglary on his last court appearance. The raid had caused a great deal of damage to the shop and this would have affected trade.