AN ELDERLY woman has not returned to her home after a burglar stole £1,500 worth of sentimental jewellery including her husband's war medals.

Burnley Magistrates were told how James Rickwood broke into the great grandmother's house and stole her mother's engagement ring and her late husband's medals.

The court was told that the victim had just come out of hospital and was being looked after at a relative's house when the burglary occurred..

Rickwood admitted burglary. The defendant, 28, of Padiham Road, Burnley, was committed in custody to the town's crown court for sentence.

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, told the court Rickwood made an "untidy search" of the victim's property after 8pm. He also pinched five gold watches and none of the stolen goods had been recovered.

Mark Williams, defending, said Rickwood remembered little or nothing after taking the tablets.

The defendant had heard police wanted to speak to him, had gone to Burnley police station and had been arrested. He had gone down to sort it out, not knowing why they were looking for him.

Mr Williams said Rickwood knew he would be committed to the crown court for sentence and that he may go to jail. He had a very bad record, with more than 40 offences of dishonesty.

He had committed any number of house burglaries when he was a youth, but his last conviction for house burglary was in 2001.

Mr Williams said the defendant had married his long-term partner, they had two children and he had been working for an engineering company for the last 10 years.

The solicitor added: "He has gone from having a terrible record and running out of control as a youth to settling down as a married man, in employment, with children, owning his own home and keeping himself out of trouble. And for some reason, he goes out and commits an offence of burglary at an elderly lady's home that he can't even remember doing."