Two men have been jailed for a raid on an elderly couple’s home in a semi-rural area.

A court heard how the burglary in September had affected the victims’ quality of life in the home where they had lived for many years.

The burglars got away with jewellery of sentimental value and electrical items of some financial value, prosecutor David Mainstone told Mold Crown Court.

Thomas Flynn, 21, of The Mount, Wrexham, was sent down for two years and five months and James William Purcell, 26, of the Ruthin Road caravan site at Coedpoeth, Wrexham, received 16 months in prison.

They both admitted the burglary in the Llyndir Lane area of Burton, Rossett.

CCTV evidence from the property showed that three men had been responsible but only two of them had been identified.

An investigation found CCTV evidence from a local Co-op store showed them in the locality the previous day.

The property had been entered and an untidy search had been carried out.

Judge Niclas Parry said acting together they smashed their way into the couple’s home where they carried out an untidy search of most of the rooms, including the bedroom. Items were thrown all over the hallway.

Having stolen a watch from the bedroom and three pairs of earrings, they took three pieces of expensive hi-fi stereo equipment, which had simply been smashed and left outside.

There had been “ransacking and wanton vandalism” Judge Parry said.

The victims were a couple who had lived at the property for many years, one for 74 years and the other for 47 years.

He said the burglary had left them feeling vulnerable and the enjoyment of their home had been impaired by the defendants’ actions.

While Flynn was only 21 he had previous convictions for 26 offences including robbery and burglary.

His record meant the sentence would be one of 876 days, or two years and five months, said Judge Parry.

It was Purcell’s second conviction for a house burglary which had been committed within three weeks of a community order for possessing a weapon in public.

The judge said he had previously had two suspended prison sentences.