THREE men who admitted stealing £160,000 worth of computers from schools across Essex and Suffolk have no more than £3 left between them, a court heard.

Specialist financial investigators failed to identify any assets owned by the men, who targeted 56 primary schools and colleges following detailed research into security arrangements and the location of IT departments.

They were jailed in July, but returned to Ipswich Crown Court for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing designed to recoup as much as possible of the value of what they stole.

Robert Sadd, prosecuting, said: “The conspiracy did result in substantial losses to the taxpayer. That having been said, it appears there are very few, if any, assets left to recover.”

Mr Sadd said Christopher Kerr, 25, of Halstead Road, Frinton, Liam Cook, 26, of Bushell Way, Frinton, and Francis Wilding, 22, of Broadway, Jaywick, had each been assessed as having benefited by £60,000 from the thefts.

Each had no realisable assets and Miss Recorder Cheryl Jones ordered each man pay a nominal £1.

Kerr and Wilding were each jailed for five years and four months in July and Cook for three years and four months. All admitted conspiracy to commit burglary between August 2012 and May 2013.

Kerr admitted involvement in 16 raids, Cook in five and Wilding in 28.

Martin Mulgrew, prosecuting, described the trio as “professional burglars”.

In total they raided 25 schools in Essex and 31 in Suffolk.

None of more than 300 stolen computers was recovered. The gang was caught after Wilding left traces of blood at one crime scene which allowed police to trace him.

They seized his mobile phone which revealed details of calls to Cook and Kerr.

The prosecution said the thefts had lost numerous hours of work prepared by teachers and pupils.

The gang also caused £37,000 damage after forcing open windows to get inside school buildings.