A tourist has admitted acting as getaway driver during two high-value burglaries at shops in the centre of Sidmouth.

Jason McCreedy pleaded guilty to taking part in the raids in which £3,440 worth of designer dresses and £78,000 worth of jewellery were stolen on separate occasions in 2021 and 2023.

McCreedy, aged 53, of Workington, Cumbria, admitted the burglaries at Louise’s Designer Dress Agency on October 8, 2021 and Rings of Gold on January 12, 2023 when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court.

He represented himself at the short hearing at which he said his only involvement had been as a driver. Judge Stephen Climie adjourned sentence until next month and ordered a probation pre-sentence report.

McCreedy has previous convictions for burglary including one for raiding a jewellery shop in the centre of Dartmouth in August 2012, when he was on holiday in Devon and staying at Bovey Tracey.