A burglar has been jailed for four years after trying to get a friend to intimidate witnesses who saw him in a getaway car.
Scott Coleman (30) rang his wife from prison, while on remand awaiting trial. He asked her to get "Big C" to arrange for someone to visit a married couple, both prosecution witnesses, due to give evidence against him.
The call was recorded while he was at HMP Leicester, on June 10.
Coleman told his wife in the call that he wanted someone to tell the couple: "If you like living here you'd better admit you picked the wrong guy or you're going to have full air con."
Alex Young, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown Court: "He wanted them to retract their statement.
"Full air con is a reference to their house being ventilated in some way, possibly by having windows smashed in."
Three days later, police raided Coleman's home and recovered a letter he sent to his wife, which said: "I hope Big C is going to sort that and I will be out soon."
The court heard that no threats were made to the couple, who gave evidence against him earlier this week, in relation to a burglary in Hospital Lane, Ravenstone, north west Leicestershire, on June 8.
Coleman, of Warwick Street, Black Friars, Leicester, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.
He was convicted by a jury of the burglary, which he denied.
The prosecution claimed Coleman was part of a four-man team involved in a daytime burglary at the house in Hospital Lane, while the owner was out.
Three unknown accomplices broke into the house but left empty-handed when an intruder alarm was activated.
A couple who lived nearby had noticed a man, whom the prosecution said was Coleman, acting as a look-out and getaway driver in a blue Vauxhall Vectra.
The three burglars jumped into the car, which sped away.
A neighbour later picked out Coleman in a police identity procedure. His wife had noted down three digits of the registration plate, which matched a blue Vectra Coleman used.
Giving evidence, Coleman said he had loaned the vehicle to someone shortly before the offence was committed. He said he played no part in the burglary. He claimed he was wrongly identified as the getaway driver, but the jury rejected his account.
Nathan Palmer, mitigating after the verdict, said Coleman's wife, who was in court to support him, would be giving birth to their child while he was in jail.
He said: "He acts impulsively, foolishly and criminally at times. He has mental health and medical problems."
Judge Ebraham Mooncey said: "You tried to get your wife to put the frighteners on the witnesses. That sort of conduct can't be tolerated in civilised society."
Coleman, who has previous convictions for burglary, was given three-and-a-half years for the break-in, with six months consecutively for perverting the course of justice.
