A WOMAN has been cleared of breaking into a house and stealing a Mini Cooper.

Carla Carron was accused of helping her half-brother, Michael Brown, to burgle and steal a car at a property in Brookhouse Road, Denbigh, after driving him 40 miles from her home in Tattenhall, near Chester.

He said the purpose of the journey was to visit a niece, but in the early hours of the morning he left his sister asleep in her car after saying he was going to find someone who could sell him prescription drugs.

Instead he broke into the property of Martin Edwards and stole a wallet and car keys, Mold Crown Court was told.

The homeowner woke to discover his Mini had been stolen. His bank cards were used later to make three payments at three garages with CCTV showing Brown making the purchases.

Carron denied her involvement, although she was seen on the footage going into a service station on the M56 with Brown.

She insisted she only gave her half-brother a lift and had no knowledge he was intending to commit offences.

When she found he had stolen the car, which was later dropped off, she told him she could not believe what he had done, but she was too scared of him to do anything.

She told the court she had little contact with her sibling over the years, although she knew he had spent time in prison.

Carron, 36, of Harding Avenue, Tattenhall, denied charges of burglary and theft in Denbigh on February 13 and was found not guilty on both charges by a jury.

Brown, who has pleaded guilty to burglary and theft as well as other charges, is due to be sentenced.