Retired couple who broke into cottage used in TV’s Vera to shelter from storm horrified to be nicked for burglary

A RETIRED couple who sheltered from a storm at the cottage used in TV’s Vera were horrified to be nicked for burglary.

Ex-army medic Tony Banks broke a window to get into the empty home and lit a fire after Angela Cogan, 69, went into shock from cold.

They later alerted police so they could compensate the property’s owner on Holy Island, Northumberland.

But instead they were quizzed on suspicion of burglary then charged with causing £1,063 worth of criminal damage.

They appeared before JPs in Berwick, Northumberland, last week.

Their solicitor Ian O’Rourke told the court: “The weather was absolutely foul, temperatures were sub zero.

“Angela was going into a hypothermic shock and Tony fears she is not going to survive the ordeal.

“That’s when they came across this cottage which features in a television programme.

“He breaks the window to gain access.

“He finds a fire and some matches and lights the fire to warm his partner up.

“When he contacts the coastguard and later when interviewed by the police he was willing to pay for damage caused.

“But they are interviewed on an allegation of burglary because they have taken firewood and a bar of chocolate.

“But now the case comes down to criminal damage.

“In order to prove the offence the Crown has to show that there was no reasonable excuse.

“The defence is one of necessity in order to preserve life.”

The pair, who run an animal sanctuary in Wooler, got stranded on Christmas Day 2022 when their car broke down on the causeway to the mainland.

Angela, 69, is suffering stress and anxiety caused by the case and did not appear in court.

Tony, who served as a medic in the first Gulf War with 5 Airborne Brigade, said: “Your number one job in life is to look after your partner and kids.

“Preserve life at all costs.

“I saved lots of life in the army doing medical stuff and that’s what I was doing here.”

The cottage is the home of Brenda Blethyn’s character in the ITV drama.

The case was adjourned.