Burglars bungled a night-time raid on a chemist when their swag bag burst, spilling money all over the floor, a court heard.

Brothers Daniel and Barry Murphy fled with just £700 in a red Jaguar S Type car but were caught soon afterwards by police.

Wearing ski masks and gardening gloves, the pair used a rock to smash a pane of glass in the door of Boots in Edenbridge High Street at 12.30am on January 24.

Maidstone Crown Court was told Barry Murphy, 46, used a screwdriver to open tills and tipped cash into the bin bag held by his 36-year-old brother.

“Unhappily for them, the bin liner split, causing some of the money to fall to the floor,” said prosecutor Trevor Wright.”

They grabbed what they could, stuffed it into the bag and drove away.

“A neighbour had heard a noise and seen them entering Boots and leaving in the Jaguar. The police were called and they followed the car to the M25.

“Other patrols attended. Within a short time the car was boxed in with a tactical pursuit technique. Masks and gardening gloves were found with money and loose change.”

Mr Wright said the chemist had to close for half a day to clean up and for repairs to be carried out.

Daniel Murphy, whose four-bedroom home in Shepherds Gate Drive, Grove Green, Maidstone, is valued at almost £500,000, had old convictions for commercial burglaries.

But he escaped being locked up after a judge said there was a prospect of rehabilitation and immediate imprisonment would “have a significant harmful impact on his wife and young child”.

Barry Murphy, of Marion Crescent, Maidstone, failed to attend for sentence and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was said to be working away on an oil rig until September.

Tom Dunn, for Daniel Murphy, said the offence was committed in the context of a prolonged and stressful period of financial uncertainty for him and his family.

“After being able to command a very high salary and structure his life with outgoings to match, he was laid off,” said Mr Dunn.

“He couldn’t maintain his lifestyle and had debts of £63,000, including mortgage arrears.

He committed this offence against that background in a stupid misguided attempt to make some money to try to make ends meet.

“It was a position he now bitterly regrets. The effect of immediate custody would be he would have to sell the family home.

“His children have been traumatised by the financial instability. If he is allowed to keep his liberty he will be able to work.”

Describing the offence, which Murphy admitted, as “a blip”, Mr Dunn submitted a non-custodial sentence would be a just approach.

“He couldn’t maintain his lifestyle and had debts of £63,000, including mortgage arrears" - Tom Dunn

Suspending six months imprisonment for a year, Judge Charles Macdonald QC told Murphy: “I am satisfied there was at least some planning with regard to the hour and the ready availability of a disguise in the car.

“You have remorse and there has been a long period of 14 years in which you have led a law-abiding life, working offshore.

“It has to be a prison sentence. I am going to suspend it because there is a good prospect of rehabilitation.”

Murphy was ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work and pay £320 costs.