Two burglars could not believe their luck when a judge showed them "exceptional" leniency – handing them both conditional discharges for their part in a raid on a Gloucester pharmacy.

Francis Nisbet, 47, registered shock when Judge Ian Lawre KC told him he was being conditionally discharged for three years on the grounds that he and his fellow burglar, John Cater, 46, had "sorted out their lives" since the offence in August 2021.

Standing up in the dock, Nisbet told the judge: "I'm running before you change your mind!"

Cater, who also got a three year discharge, added: "It was a pleasure to be here – thank you very much."

At Gloucester Crown Court, Cater, of Matson Lane, Gloucester, and Nisbet, of Ryecroft Street, Tredworth, both admitted burglary of Badham pharmacy in Longford, Gloucester, and stealing an unknown quantity of medications on August 15, 2021.

Prosecutor Rachael Stitt said she was unable to explain why it had taken the Crown Prosecution Service such a long time to get the case to court.

She said police were called to the pharmacy in Horsbere Drive, Longford, by a neighbour who rang 999 after she saw a car outside the chemist and men moving about.

There were four men in the gang - two of them Cater and Nisbet.

She said: "CCTV clips show three men outside the door of the pharmacy and they are joined by a fourth man. They appear to be trying to break in via the fire escape. The door is forced and they go inside. CCTV shows them looking at medication and they put some of it down to the floor, presumably into a bag, and then leave the premises.

"We don't have details of the exact amount of the loss. Some items were recovered by the police. Mr Badham, the pharmacist, has detailed the types of drugs he believes were stolen."

Judge Lawrie said: "This offence caused significant inconvenience in replacing the items and also to people whose prescriptions were delayed.

"This was a place of service to the public, it has a specific social provision."

The prosecutor said the defendants were arrested later the same day. Nisbet gave a "no comment' interview while Cater gave a prepared statement.

Lloyd Jenkins, for Nisbet, who had 78 previous criminal offences on his record, told the court: "He assures me that he has not offended since this burglary."

Judge Lawrie said: "That is an achievement, bearing in mind his history. What explains that achievement?"

Mr Jenkins said: "For the last three years he has had the benefit of a support worker and he now also has the benefit of independent living at a new address in Gloucester Docks. He has certainly calmed down and he has been able to prove that he can stay out of trouble.

"He has impressed those who were previously accommodating him to such an extent that it has now been deemed he can live independently."

Catherine Spedding, for Cater, said: "He has been out of trouble for a year and has managed to free himself of drugs. He is voluntarily giving negative drug samples, which is very positive against his background. He also now has settled housing. He has come an awful long way since the time of these offences."

Judge Lawrie told the defendants: "I am going to take a slightly exceptional course and impose a three year conditional discharge on both of you. I do this in recognition of the two of you both managing to sort out your lives.

"I do not wish to make light of the fact, however, that you have burgled a pharmacy and caused a lot of distress - it is very disagreeable, to put it mildly.

"If you commit any further crime in the next three years we will meet again and next time I will be less than generous."