A 26-year-old man who raided a Worcestershire pub to steal copper piping has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Matthew Parker, of Marshfield Close, Redditch, pleaded guilty to burglary at the Red Lion in Hanbury Road, Droitwich, on April 10, 2012.

His nine-month jail sentence was suspended for two years and he will be supervised by the probation service for one year.

Worcester Crown Court  heard that Parker carried out the raid with another man and had planned it by making several visits to the area.

Judge Christopher Plunkett told him that the cost of disruption caused by the theft was often greater than the value of the metal.