A burglar used bleach to clean up victims’ ransacked homes and then drove a BMW into a police car in an attempt to escape.

Philip Delaney, 32, admitted a number of charges when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court, sitting at Telford Justice Centre.

Delaney, of Caravan Site, Ruthin Road, Coedpoeth in Wrexham, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and one charge of aggravated car theft.

He also admitted using the vehicle without third party insurance.

John Oates, prosecuting, said Delaney was part of a gang that burgled two houses in Shropshire – one in Weston Lallingfields and the other in Bashchurch – in August.

He told how an elderly couple living in a Weston Lullingfields house returned home to find the house had been ransacked, drawers had been opened and items were strewn about.

A pair of gold earrings and several old £20 notes were discovered missing.

The court was told that a silver BMW 330d could be seen on CCTV in the area at the time and that when police checked the house they discovered bleach had been used in an attempt to cover up the burglars.