A team of burglars who travelled from Liverpool to target village pubs in Bidford-on-Avon and Ilmington have been warned that they are almost certain to be jailed.

The four men pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to burgling the Golden Cross pub in Bidford-on-Avon, on June 20, escaping with cash and two air rifles.

James Bigley, Ellis Boyd, Richard Spring and Joseph McCarthy also pleaded guilty to a burglary at the Red Lion in Ilmington, taking tools and an axe, on the same night.

In addition Bigley, 23, of Windfield Close, Liverpool, admitted aggravated vehicle taking by driving a BMW 6 series dangerously on the A435 after it had been taken without consent.

Boyd, 22, of Carlile Way, Liverpool; Spring ,23, of Hawthorne Road, Liverpool; and McCarthy ,20, of Westhead Walk, Liverpool, all admitted aggravated vehicle taking by being carried in the BMW.

The court heard that Bigley and McCarthy had no previous convictions, and barristers acting for them and for McCarthy asked for pre-sentence reports to be prepared on them.

Richard Franck, defending Bigley, said: “He knows what the inevitable sentence will be, but it could affect length.”

Gary Cook, defending Boyd, asked for him to be sentenced straight away. He said: “It’s inevitable the type of sentence he’ll receive, so he doesn’t want to waste anyone’s time.”

Pointing out that Boyd has since been recalled to prison to continue serving a sentence he was on licence from at the time, Mr Cook added: “He would like to know his fate and be sentenced today.”

But Recorder Stuart Sprawson said: “That’s not going to happen. They should all be dealt with together.”

He adjourned the case for pre-sentence reports to be prepared and remanded Boyd in custody, while the other three were granted bail with conditions including one that they keep out of Warwickshire except to see their lawyers or to attend court.

But Recorder Sprawson warned them: “The outcome is almost certainly inevitable, and it’s going to be one of immediate custody.”