TWO criminals who stole a pensioner’s brand new car and left it overturned in Blackbird Leys Road have been jailed.

Shane Coates, 22, of Lytton Road, and Philip Hall, 23, of Slaymaker Close, were sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Friday after writing off a £7,000 red Nissan Pixo with just 800 miles on the clock on May 14. Hall admitted breaking into the house of a 68-year-old woman in Kelburne Road, Cowley, and stealing the car keys, before meeting Coates later at a pub.

At 11.50pm that night, two police officers on patrol came across the car overturned on its side in Blackbird Leys Road.

Jonathan Stone, prosecuting, said police caught Coates running away from the scene, while Hall was trapped in the passenger seat.

Sophie Murray, defending Coates, said he had played no part in the burglary and had only offered to drive the vehicle because Hall was drunk.

Stephen Parker, defending Hall, said his client had been drunk and had taken cocaine when he carried out the ‘impulsive burglary’.

Coates pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and was sentenced to four months in prison.

Hall also pleaded guilty to burglary and was given a total sentence of 17 months, which included punishment for breaching a previous suspended sentence.