Two bungling burglars who dropped a crate of beer they were stealing from a pub and then crashed their getaway van have appeared in court.

Dewayne Alan John Giles, of Buck’s Road, Douglas, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary theft and being a passenger in a vehicle taken without consent and was sentenced to 180 hours’ community service.

James Tarron Keggin, aged 22, of Ballafurt Road, Port Erin, who did not appear, will be sentenced at a later date.

Prosecutor Michael Jelski told the court how, on May 15 at 1.45am, CCTV footage viewed by police showed a white van being driven the wrong way down a one-way street in Ramsey.

Later footage showed Giles, who is 22, climb over the rear gate of the Royal George pub in Market Place East, unlock it and let Keggin in.

Both then went to the smoking area where there was a cellar access door and went down into the cellar.

Keggin emerged from the cellar carrying a crate of Carlsberg beer. Giles then followed carrying crates of Desperado and Corona beer.

Both men were said to be intoxicated and in his stupor Keggin was said to have dropped the crate of Carlsberg, advertised as ’probably the best beer in the world’.

The two men then left but at 3.05am police were called to a road accident at Snaefell Road in Willaston, Douglas.

The white van was on its side in the middle of the road with the stolen alcohol inside, said to be worth £71.82.

It was reported that the van had hit two parked cars, a Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, and shunted them into a Toyota which had in turn hit a Vauxhall Astra.

Giles was standing at the rear of the van but denied he had been driving. Enquiries revealed that the van had been taken without consent from the Ronague area of Arbory.

Giles told police he could remember only ’bits’ of the evening.

Defending him in court advocate Kate Alexander said that Giles’s last conviction was in 2009 for theft of a bicycle.

She said: ’The facts are accepted. My client has very little recollection. He has had a period of good behaviour and is ashamed to be back before the court. Alcohol was a factor and he is taking steps to reduce his drinking. He doesn’t drink on a regular basis.’

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ’You were so intoxicated you were unable to provide an account of what happened. But for your intoxication I find it unlikely the offence would have been committed.’

Giles was sentenced to 140 hours’ community service for the burglary and 40 for being a passenger in a vehicle taken without consent, to run consecutively. He was also ordered to pay £125 prosecution costs and £35.91 compensation, half the alcohol’s value.