TWO men who were caught handling stolen vehicles have been spared jail after a judge told them there is evidence that they have "learnt their lesson".

Delays in bringing the case to court meant that Ryan Atherton and Jamie Conway were able to prove they have stayed out of trouble for 18 months since they committed the crimes.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Atherton was involved in handling a Transit van stolen from a gardener on May 8 2018 and both he and Conway were caught with an Audi the following month, which had been stolen in a burglary.

Simon Blakebrough, prosecuting, told the court how a gardener had left his van in a Little Lever street with its keys left in a coat pocket hung on a wheelie bin.

The van and £4,000 worth of tools inside were stolen.

"The van was seen by the owner on two separate occasions prior to the arrest of  Atherton on May 14.

On that day the van, on false plates, was spotted heading towards Abbey Village.

When police arrived three people ran off, but an officer then spotted a man who matched the description of one of them, coming out of a pub garden.

"He was covered in mud, he was out of breath and his trainers and his clothes were wet," said Mr Blakebrough.

Atherton, aged 24, of Vallets Lane, Bolton, was arrested and his fingerprints were found on the van door.

The £12,000 Audi was stolen from outside a house in a burglary on the night of June 20 2108 when a VW Golf was also taken.

A week later, on June 26, police were checking a stolen BMW which they found in Fordham Grove, Bolton. 

The Audi, now on false plates, was twice spotted driving along the street with three men on board, apparently paying attention to the parked BMW.

One of the men got out and unlocked the BMW with a remote key.

He was never caught but police arrested 22-year-old Conway, who was in the Audi driver's seat and Atherton, who was a front seat passenger.

"Mr Conway was in possession of a key to a Mercedes car that has never been identified and mobile phone which had reference to a stolen Range Rover with a key for sale," said Mr Blakebrough.

"Inside the Audi was a screwdriver, a pair of pliers, a black sock with a weight inside and number plates belonging to a separate stolen BMW."

Atherton and Conway, of Spinning Meadow, Bolton, both pleaded guilty to handing the Audi and Atherton to handling the van.

Andrew Costello, defending both men, who work as roofers, said: "They both recognise the issues and the impact of their offending on the victims of these offences.

"It was a short period of time on the fringes of, what clearly was, a group of friends or associates who were happy to be involved in this type of behaviour."

But he stressed that the delay in bringing the case to court "afforded them the opportunity to show they have put this offending period behind them.

"They literally can be said to have turned their lives around and put themselves on the right track."

Atherton was sentenced to a 7pm to 4am curfew for 120 days and Conway to a 7pm to 4am curfew for 90 days. Each was ordered to pay £250 in costs.

Judge Timothy Stead told both men: "I like to think you have reflected on this and learned a lesson that it will do no good to you to carry on committing offences with other people's vehicles.

"The fact is that this offending is getting on for two years ago and the two of you have actually done right since then."

If the pair had appeared in court soon after the crimes were committed Judge Stead said Atherton could have expected 12 months in prison and Conway nine months.

"In the circumstances I think it would be harsh and unjustified to impose such a sentence," said the judge.