Parrot thieves Billy Trotman and Nicholas Davies will not have to do bird for smashing their way into a pet shop in a drunken raid.

An Alexandrian ringback died after the burglars used a forklift truck to smash their way in Paradise Pets on Cheney Manor.

But neither Trotman, 25, nor Davies, 37, will be caged after a judge at Swindon Crown Court imposed suspended sentences on the drug addicts today.

Anna Midgley, prosecuting, said the break in took place shortly before 7.30pm on Monday July 9.

The men used a forklift truck to smash through the door of the store and Trotman stole between £25 and £30 from the till.

"Mr Davies went to the back of the shop and stole three parrots. He put them in a cardboard box with no lid and two flew out. The other was found deceased," she said.

Although the amount taken was relatively low, the parrots were each worth £120; she said damage worth £3,200 was caused in the incident.

When they were questioned they said they were under the influence of drink and drugs at the time of the offence.

A month before the break in Davies was on a suspended sentence after admitting possessing one and a half ounces of heroin, and two counts of shoplifting.

Meanwhile Trotman was on bail for handling a stolen Tom Tom satellite navigation system worth £450.

Trotman, of Fritillary Mews, admitted handling and burglary and Davis, of Baileys Farm Gardens, admitted possessing drugs, two thefts and the burglary.

Mark Ashley, for Davis, said the pre-sentence report compiled on his client was very positive and he had testes clean for opiates during the past six weeks.

He said his client could be helped by being put on a drug rehabilitation order to help him stay clean.

Jonathan Simpson, for Trotman, said his client had voluntarily gone to get help for his drug problems a few days before the raid.

At the time he was using heroin, crack cocaine and alcohol but was now drinking less, cut out the crack and stopped injecting heroin and provided opiate free swabs.

Passing sentence Judge Lester Boothman said "You both have positive reports from Turning Point Druglink in Swindon and it seems that they are going to help you and the courts are always willing to take a chance if it appears that people can get over their drug addictions."

He imposed nine month jail terms suspended for 18 months and put each man on a six month drug rehabilitation order with a one year supervision requirement.