TWO burglars have been jailed after breaking into an Abingdon convenience store with a crowbar.

Tony Attwood, of Phipps Road, Cowley, Oxford, and Wayne Axtell, of Pinnocks Way, Botley, carried out the crime at Budgens in Northcourt Road on September 8.

Timothy Boswell, prosecuting at Oxford Crown Court, said both men admitted breaking into the shop at around 10pm.

He told Judge Mary Jane Mowat on Tuesday that the pair used a crowbar to “jemmy the door open” and then helped themselves to cigarettes and cognac.

Attwood, 32, also admitted stealing two bottles of champagne worth £19.99 each from the Co-op in Cherwell Drive, Marston, on August 12, and video games worth £552 from a Tesco in Finchampstead, near Wokingham, Berkshire, on September 21.

And 31-year-old Axtell pleaded guilty to making off without paying for £75.02 of petrol from a Shell petrol station in Ducklington Lane, Witney, on August 1.

Mr Boswell said Attwood had been convicted 34 times for 69 offences, which include 38 thefts, while his partner had 17 convictions for 39 offences.

Graham Bennett, defending Attwood, said that his client was a drug addict who had been to prison many times, but had never appeared at crown court before.

He said: “His record has shown that custody has done nothing to break the pattern of offending or help him to break away from drugs.”

Daniel Wright, defending, Axtell, said he was also a drug addict but had started to change his ways after meeting a new girlfriend.

He said: “Mr Axtell needs a solid base, a solid foundation, and he has that right now.”

Judge Mowat sentenced Attwood, who she said had an “immense” record, to 20 months in prison.

She told Axtell that he had to take “responsibility” for his own behaviour and jailed him for 12 months.

Both men also have to pay £100 victims’ surcharges.