TWO men whose getaway car was chased by police following a raid on the DVLA office near Worcester have both been convicted of burglary.

Police followed the Ford Mondeo after it was driven into the viewpoint car park near the Carrington Bridge an hour after the break-in. Driver Gavin Shuck was caught when he drove up a dead-end road. Terence Hodgkins, one of his three passengers, fled from the car and was found hiding in another vehicle later the same night.

A jury at Worcester Crown Court rejected alibi evidence that the men were at home with their partners watching TV when the 11pm raid happened on the DVLA near Kempsey on Nov-ember 15 last year.

A third burglar, Mark Wilson, pleaded guilty before the trial began. Police seized £2,197, stolen in the break-in, when they arrested him.

Shuck, aged 40, of Rifle Range Road, Kidder-minster, and Hodgkins, 31, of Goldthorn Road, Kidderminster, were both remanded in custody for pre-sentence reports to be completed.

Wilson, aged 37, of Albert Road, Kidder-minster, will be sentenced at the same time as the other men.

Judge Andrew Geddes told Shuck and Hodgkins: "You can anticipate lengthy periods of custody."

He ordered the jury to acquit Shuck of a dangerous driving charge after two policemen gave differing accounts of the chase, including the speed of the Mondeo.

Shuck and Hodgkins are also due to be sentenced for damaging property at a golf club in Buckinghamshire.

Hodgkins was also in breach of a suspended prison sentence for another burglary.

The court heard how objects were thrown from the Mondeo into the path of the pursuing patrol car. They included the DVLA safe.

Miss Crabb told the jury the defendants claimed they were "un-suspecting dupes in Wilson's escapade".

They had concocted fake stories to fit the evidence, she added.

Emma Rutherford, for Shuck, said a phone call had been received from Wilson to pick him up. Hodgkins let him drive his Mondeo because he had been drinking.

She claimed he was still at home at 10.30pm watching TV news and could not have arrived at Kempsey until 50 minutes after the burglary.

John Brotherton, for Hodgkins, alleged that Wilson had carried out "a ham-fisted amateur" break-in.

His client was a professional burglar and would not have worn striped clothing - which he left home in that night - if he had been involved in the raid.