A BURGLAR who raided an Evesham garage has finally been brought to justice - three years after the break-in.

Mark Lake targeted The Bridge service station in September 1998, stealing cigarettes worth £1,200 and engine tuners valued at £2,500.

But his case "simply got lost in the system" and since the offence he had served two custodial sentences, said his barrister Simon Phillips.

Lake, aged 20, admitted burglary and was given four months detention at Worcester Crown Court.

Judge John Cavell said when police questioned Lake about the offence in 1999 he refused to comment, thereby putting off the day of reckoning.

But the system then failed to link the offence with Lake when he came to be dealt with for other crimes.

He would have expected 12 months custody at the time, but the judge decided to reduce the sentence because of the delay.

Simon Cadwaladr, prosecuting, said Lake's blood was found on the garage's cigarette machine and linked to him by DNA.

Since the raid, Lake, of Westend Avenue, Warley, West Midlands, had served 16 months in custody for theft and burglary.

Mr Phillips said he had been locked up since Thursday, September 13, after failing to attend court. The period would be taken off the time he still had left to serve.