Two men who were acting as lookouts while a tobacco shop was burgled were sentenced at the Magistrates’ Court this morning.

The case dates back to 15th October 2012, when Andrew Aldorino, who was 18 at the time, and his co-defendant, who was 16 at the time, were acting as lookouts for what they believed was a tobacco smuggling operation, only to find out that the people they were working with were instead stealing 13 boxes of tobacco from a shop in Ocean Heights.

After leaving the scene at around 4am, they drove off and were chased by the police for failing to stop.

Both men pleaded guilty to all charges, which included one count of burglary each. Aldorino faced a further count of dangerous driving while his co-defendant was charged with one count of possession of cannabis resin.

Appearing for Aldorino, Chris Miles explained that this was a one-off incident, and that his client has since turned his life around. He had had a difficult upbringing, and at the time of the incident he’d given into peer pressure by getting involved with drugs.

John Viales, who appeared for the co-defendant, said his drug use was experimental, and that he’d fallen in with the wrong crowd and was unemployed after having left school with no formal qualifications. He has since become a father and is living in Spain with his partner and family, and would like to join the Royal Gibraltar Regiment in the future.

Aldorino, of Referendum House, was told that while a police chase cannot be tolerated, in these circumstances his personal mitigation would be considered while sentencing.

He was sentenced to three months in prison for the dangerous driving, suspended for 18 months, and has been disqualified from driving for the next 18 months. With regards to the burglary, he has also been ordered to undertake 150 hours of community service and fined £1,000.

His co-defendant, whom YGTV has decided not to name because he was a juvenile at the time of the offence, was sentenced to 100 hours of community service order for the burglary and a fine of £100 for the possession of a controlled drug.

Carl Ramagge appeared for the Crown.