A MAN has been jailed for abetting an attempted burglary suspect by lying about a getaway van.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard the Abacus van, which had been hired by Saul Brown of Barton-on-Sea and loaned to a friend, was spotted near an empty property in Bournemouth on the night of an attempted burglary on May 14 last year.

Although the house in Stourcliffe Avenue was too well secured for the thief to gain access, £2,000 of damage was caused to windows and doors.

Prosecutor Simon Jones told the court on Friday (MAY 13) that Brown, 32, falsely reported the van as stolen the day after the crime, saying he had left the keys on the seat.

Although police investigated the case on this basis they eventually learned Brown had loaned the van to a friend and subsequently lied to police in an attempt to hinder the investigation.

In November, Brown, who has prior convictions for dishonesty, burglary and drink driving, was charged with perverting the course of public justice. He admitted the offence on the basis that he had not realised the van would be used to commit a crime when he loaned it.

No one has been charged for the attempted burglary.

In mitigation, Michael Standing said his client had acted impulsively under external pressure.

"This was quite clearly an unsophisticated, impulsive attempt to cover for someone when under a certain degree of pressure not to incriminate someone," he said.

"There was a genuine fear there would be repercussions if some level of cover was not provided. It was clearly an incredibly foolish move."

He urged the judge to suspend the sentence saying Brown, a labourer who lives in Marine Drive West, believed going to prison would "ruin his life".

Jailing Brown for three months the judge, recorder Gordon Bebb QC, said the offence was too serious to be suspended.

"I have no doubt that it was a stupid decision," he said. "No doubt you are remorseful and bitterly regret what you did."