AN elderly widow was devastated when her home was burgled by a Wrexham man and jewellery of great sentimental value, given to her by her late husband, was stolen.
Mold Crown Court heard yesterday how the 76-year-old victim’s home in Overton had been ransacked.
Ronnie Williams, 20, admitted burglary at the house in November while the victim was out.
Williams, of Glan Gors, Wrexham, who also admitted a separate charge of handling a stolen £690 pram, was sentenced to 21 months’ youth detention.
At the time of the offence he was on a community order, and was also on bail for the handling offence, said Judge Philip Hughes.
During the burglary in Overton Williams stole jewellery, a digital camera and a laptop computer.
The monetary value of his haul was about £1,000 but it included jewellery given to the victim by her husband “which was of considerable sentimental value,” said Judge Hughes.
“I am conscious of the fact she has been badly affected by the intrusion into her home,” he said.
The burglary was made worse by the element of ransacking, drawers had been overturned and papers strewn around.
Williams had previous convictions for dishonesty, but not for domestic burglary.
Michael Whitty, prosecuting, said the pram valued at £690 had been taken from a van in Wrexham. The owner kept an eye on internet auction sites and when he saw an identical pram for sale on eBay in the Wrexham, area, he contacted the police.
It turned out Williams, who admitted handling the pram, had asked a relative to sell it for him on eBay. That was in August but while on bail he was involved in the burglary in Overton.
When police went to arrest him, he tried to jump a fence but was caught. His footwear was forensically matched to the scene of the burglary.
Phillip Tully, defending, said Williams had been on a fishing trip which had taken him to the Overton area. The house had not been targeted and he didn’t know it was an elderly widow’s home.
Williams was full of remorse and had written a letter of apology to the judge and also a letter which he hoped would be passed on to the victim.
Mr Tully said he would not say his client had been goaded into it by another man, but he felt he had been pushed into it.
“It is no excuse. He took the stupid decision to become involved in this offence,” said Mr Tully.
He knew he had to be punished and he would receive a custodial sentence.