A MAN who spent almost four years on the run after taking part in a burglary at a Chippenham computer firm has finally been jailed.

Jason Colliver had to be extradited from Holland earlier this year after going on the run following the raid at Lucent Technologies in 1999.

Though the 23-year-old was arrested soon after the break-in at Greenways Business Park he gave police a false name and failed to appear before the court.

Instead he lived in London before fleeing the country, until he was jailed for another matter in the Netherlands and returned to the UK to face the music.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told Swindon crown court police received information that there was a break-in at the computer firm at 11.20pm on September 28, 1999. Officers rushed to the scene and saw a man loading computer equipment into a Saab car.

She said the car, which had been stolen, was driven at high speed through Chippen-ham town centre with the lights turned off.

The police lost the car but later that night it was found abandoned near junction 16 of the M4 with three computers in the boot.

She said: "A nearby resident was disturbed by a young man with a London accent asking for a taxi as he was lost.

"He was taken to the train station in Swindon where he was arrested on suspicion of burglary."

At first he told police he was called James Robbins with a date of birth in March 1979 but at the police station he said his real surname was Park.

After being questioned she said he was released on bail but failed to return to Wiltshire.

Items of clothing belonging to him were recovered from the car and found to have traces of glass from a window broken during the burglary.

Miss Marlow said in May 2000 the real Mr Park was arrested in London and kept in custody for some time until it was established that he was not the same man.

A drinking straw and cigarette butt recovered from the Saab contained DNA which was tested and found to come from Colliver.

"He had subsequently gone to Holland and had to be extradited back. On March 20 this year he was brought to Wiltshire to be questioned about his part in the burglary and giving a false name," said Miss Marlow.

"In the original interview in 1999 he made no comment but this time he admitted his involvement."

She said the defendant had a string of previous convictions and had been sentenced to a year in jail in Holland, which was served, before he was extradited.

Colliver, of Duchy Street, Waterloo, London, admitted burglary and perverting the course of justice.

The court was told the two men who took part in the raid with him were jailed for 12 months and 21 months.

Charles Parry, defending, said his client had been on the periphery of the offence with his accomplices, who were brothers. Colliver was to get paid £200 for his part in the raid and decided to go with his lift back to London rather than walking away and trying to get a train home.

In the intervening period he said his client had been arrested, tried and acquitted of other matter in London and no mention was made of the Wiltshire matters.

He said Colliver had gone to Holland with a girlfriend who was relocating there and not to deliberately try and avoid the justice system.

Jailing him for 13 months Judge John McNaught said: "I accept you were not the brains or the planner in this but you took part in what appeared to be a well prepared burglary.

"When caught you gave a false name and that led to someone else being arrested."