A HEARTLESS thief stole treasured gold rings, a necklace and a bracelet from a woman who trusted her to look after her home while she was out.
The jewellery, some of it precious family heirlooms with high sentimental value, was later sold at a pawn shop and had never been recovered, Grimsby magistrates heard.
The unwitting victim did not know her jewellery had already been stolen when she took pity on the thief and kindly gave her £20 to help her pay gas and electricity bills, the court was told.
Tina Drury, 50, of Dolby Vale, Grimsby, admitted stealing seven gold rings, a gold necklace and a gold bracelet, valued at about £5,000, belonging to Katie Phillips, between November 6 and December 1.
Martin Howarth, prosecuting, said mother-of-two Miss Phillips asked Drury to go to her home in Second Avenue, Grimsby, because she was expecting workmen and could not be there to let them in because she had to take her son to school.
Drury's son was the boyfriend of Miss Phillips.
Drury spotted a glass pot containing jewellery in a kitchen cupboard and stole items. On another occasion, she stole jewellery from a bedside cabinet in a bedroom. The items were of sentimental value and some had been passed down through the family of Miss Phillips.
Drury sold the jewellery on a couple of occasions to a pawn shop where she had previously sold one of her own rings. She received a total of about £360. The jewellery had not been recovered.
Mr Howarth said that, ironically, Miss Phillips had felt sorry for Drury before she realised that her jewellery had been stolen. Drury told her that she had no money for gas and electricity so Miss Phillips gave her £20 in a bid to help her.
Miss Phillips realised on December 6 that the jewellery was missing. She sent a Facebook message to Drury asking if the workmen had been anywhere in the house they were not supposed to have been. The victim's boyfriend later challenged Drury about the stolen jewellery but she denied any knowledge of the thefts.
Vicky Lee, mitigating, said Drury had been struggling to deal with or explain the breach of trust
"She can't comprehend her own actions," said Miss Lee. "She felt under immense financial pressure because it was near Christmas. She was struggling to pay gas and electric. It all got too much for her."
Drury came across the jewellery in a kitchen cupboard and, on the spur of the moment, decided to take it.
"She hopes that, in the future, bridges can be built," said Miss Lee. "There has been a long period of exile from her family. She hasn't been able to sleep for some time."
Drury, who had no previous convictions, was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, a one-year supervision order, 100 hours' unpaid work and was ordered to pay £500 compensation and a Government-imposed £80 victims' surcharge.
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