Burglar breaks into pub, gets drunk and falls asleep before being found by landlord

A burglar broke into a pub, downed a drink and went on a wrecking spree before falling asleep.

Marius Petrikas, 30, was found hours later passed out on a sofa in the bar by the owner after he heard snoring.

He had caused thousands of pounds of damage to the Newcastle pub by pulling things off the wall and barricading himself in with beer barrels, Chronicle Live reports.

The owner, already struggling due to the impact of coronavirus, was left with losses of more than £21,000.

Petrikas, also know as Algis Likso, used a metal bar to break into the boozer, called City Tavern, in the early hours of August 5 last year.

CCTV shows him helping himself to a drink before he went on a wrecking spree for no apparent reason.

Alec Burns, prosecuting, said: "He was discovered at 6am that morning when the landlord found the door insecure.

"He could hear snoring so called the police, who attended and found the defendant asleep."

He had a bag and metal bar with him, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The prosecutor said: "He had wrecked the pub and barricaded himself using beer barrels and furniture.

"He pulled a camera off the wall, in the cellar he pulled a cooling unit off the wall."

The pub was so badly damaged it could not open until repairs had been carried out.

Owner David King said the final loss to the business was £21,450.

He added: "Covid-19 has had a massive financial impact on us and this burglary has happened at the worse possible time and has put livelihoods at risk.

"It felt like a last straw that broke the camel's back."

He said it had harmed staff morale and photos of memorable events had been torn from the walls and destroyed.

Petrikas, of Killingworth, North Tyneside, admitted burglary.

He was also in breach of a community order imposed for affray, assault and criminal damage worth more than £5,000 in Darlington.

On that occasion, he trashed his home after being told to leave by the landlord.

He threw furniture out of the window, barricaded himself in and police tasered him six times but it had no effect.

He eventually jumped out of the window and split his head open before running at officers, biting one of them as they arrested him.

Recorder Ben Nolan QC sentenced him to 12 months in jail after the pub rampage.