Wayne O'BrienA BROTHER has admitted his role in stealing more than £40,000 worth of Rolex watches from a jewellery shop in Old Town.

Wayne O'Brien pleaded guilty to burglary when he appeared before a judge at Swindon Crown Court on the first morning of his trial.

The 38-year-old, and others, made off with 14 Rolex watches worth a total of £40,700 from Deacon's Jewellers on Wood Street in a smash-and-grab raid 16 months ago.

CCTV footage from security cameras at the Swindon Advertiser showed O'Brien and others running off down Albert Street moments after the incident.

The case against his older brother David, 44, has been adjourned as he is in hospital following a motorcycle crash.

O'Brien yesterday admitted taking part in the theft, which occurred in daylight on Thursday March 11 last year.

Jonathan Simpson, defending, said: "In short he was in a pub. He was the worse for wear. It was someone else's plan. He went along. There were three people involved."

He said one of the reasons that his client had entered his guilty plea so late, having originally denied his involvement, was because his wife is terminally ill.

Asking for bail for his client, Mr Simpson said: "He has clearly entered his plea to an offence which will result in an inevitable custodial sentence."

O'Brien, of Dawlish Road, Park North, was granted conditional bail.

The court was told that none of the stolen watches have been recovered.

Adjourning the case, Judge John McNaught granted him bail on the condition he lives at his home address and observes a night-time curfew.

It is thought that a sledgehammer or other heavy implement was used to smash half inch thick glass to get to the watches shortly after 3.30pm on the day of the raid.

As soon as the alarm was raised, Swindon police mobilised the force's helicopter to search for the suspects.

The aftermath was witnessed by shopper Andrea Christmas who was in the Portman Building Society at the time.

She heard a loud bang and saw two men running past, one behind the other.

They ran across the road in front of her and down by Little London Court.

Four police cars and the police helicopter were mobilised and officers later trawled through the Swindon Advertiser's CCTV footage to see if the thieves had been caught in the act.

At the time, shop owner Richard Deacon said there had been incidents in the past of people trying to steal jewellery, but it was the first time that anybody had managed to smash right through the glass.

The shop was open as usual again for business the next day.

Mr Deacon said yesterday he was pleased that someone had been convicted for the crime.

Gareth Bethell