A THIRD man has admitted his part in a smash and grab robbery at a Wellington jewellers.

The thieves stole watches worth £11,000 in the raid on Joseph Welch Jewellers, on South Street, on August 11 last year.

Kevin Barry Dempsey, 34, pleaded guilty to stealing two Rolex watches after entering the shop as a trespasser a week before his birthday.

Two other men involved in the theft were sentenced for their part in the crime in July.

Dempsey, of Aigburth Drive, Liverpool, was remanded in custody when he appeared at Taunton Magistrates' Court on Monday.

He was refused bail on the grounds magistrates believed he was likely to abscond, the nature of the crime and the seriousness of his previous record.

He was ordered to appear for sentencing via live television link at Taunton Crown Court on November 1.

Joseph Hale, 23, of Rappart Road, Merseyside, is serving a 16-month jail term for his role in the raid.

And Thomas Bell, 26, of Park Street, Liverpool, was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years, along with 240 community service and a five-month tagged curfew.

Somerset County Gazette:

Jospeh Hale and Thomas Bell, already sentenced for their part in the raid.

Both had pleaded guilty to robbery ahead of sentencing at Taunton Crown Court in July.

After last year's attack, shop owner Joseph Welch, who was serving a customer at the time of the incident, told the County Gazette how he fought off the attackers with a stick.

He said a member of staff raised the alarm after hearing a thudding noise on the window in the display room.

Somerset County Gazette:

Joseph Welch at the time of the attack

The workers pressed the panic buttons to raise the alarm and proceeded to secure the shop, with staff taking the customer into the office.

By then, the raiders had smashed a three-inch hole in the window and Mr Welch rushed towards them on the other side of the glass.

He said: “I used a stick in an attempt to remove the stock from their reach and fight them off from inside the hole.

“I whacked him on the chest and they then left.

“They got some things, but some things were recovered from the scene.”

Mr Welch added: “We were all pretty shaken. It wasn’t a nice ordeal. I just reacted to the situation.

“It’s a situation that’s always a possibility, but it’s something we try and mentally prepare for.

“You think in the event of this scenario, this is what would happen. We talk through things we would do.

“I’m proud of my staff and we looked after our customer the best we could.

“They (the raiders) didn’t come in. It could have been a lot worse.”

READ MORE: Robbers sentenced for smash and grab raid on jewellers.