Three young men who attempted to break their way onto private land in Thetford with the intention of using it as a garden have been slapped with fines.

John Allcock, 19, and Joseph Allcock, 23, used saws to gain entry to the piece of Crown Estate land on May 17, causing an estimated £300 worth of damage.

They were assisted by Oliver Jones, 26, who acted as a look-out during their operation.

The Allcocks, who live on a district council travellers' site off the A11 in Thetford, appeared at West Suffolk Magistrates Court on Monday with Jones, of Halford Road, Attleborough.

Prosecuting, Tess Mann said three men were seen outside the Crown Estate site, with the two Allcock brothers at either end of a section of fencing using saws to cut it down while Jones was on the roadside by the fencing acting as a look-out.

Police were called and the men were subsequently arrested. They were charged with going equipped for theft after a saw and screwdriver were found in their possession, and John Allcock and Jones were also found with Class B drugs.

In the trio's defence, Joseph Allcock said they had not known who owned the site and believed it to be wasteland. He said they were planning to 'get a few chickens and grow vegetables' on the land.

Magistrate Paul Thacker said: 'You made an assumption that it was wasteland but you didn't try to find out who owned it.'

All three pleaded guilty to a charge of going equipped for theft in relation to the incident.

John Allcock pleaded guilty to three further charges – possession of a bladed article, namely a lock knife; possession of cannabis; and criminal damage.

The charge of possessing a bladed article had been downgraded from one of possessing an offensive weapon.

Joseph Allcock pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage and Jones pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cannabis.

All three were ordered to pay a £100 fine for going equipped and £100 compensation for the criminal damage, as well as a £30 victim surcharge and £40 towards the prosecution costs.

John Allcock and Jones were fined £100 each for possession of a Class B drug and Allcock was also fined £110 for possession of a bladed article.

The court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs, tools and knife.