Two men who handled equipment stolen from Noah And The Whale’s tour van have been brought to justice.

Joseph Breeze and his nephew Harold Breeze helped store and transport the musical instruments after they were stolen following a gig in Manchester in September 2009.

The instruments included a Gibson 1976 Les Paul Gold Top Deluxe Guitar and a Fender Telecaster Guitar.

A judge at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court rule that neither man was involved in the initial robbery, but Joseph Breeze was jailed for four years after he pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods and an unrelated section 47 assault.

Harold Breeze admitted handling stolen goods and was given a 12-month suspended sentence, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Noah And The Whale’s frontman Charlie Fink described the items taken in the robbery as “irreplaceable”.

The band release their new album in March and preview songs from the record at London’s Garage last night (January 27).

(by Jason Gregory)