Burglar who stole £20,000 worth of “irreplaceable” jewellery from Calderdale widow is jailed for more than three years

Damien Busby, 43, and his accomplice were caught on CCTV footage using a hammer to smash a patio door at the rear of the woman’s detached home in April.

Prosecutor Alex Menary said there was an untidy search of the Halifax property and the burglars stole an iPad and jewellery from a bedroom.

He said over 40 items of jewellery were taken including a gold wedding ring which had belonged to the complainant’s great grandmother.

In a statement the victim described the stolen jewellery as “irreplaceable” and said she didn’t think she would ever get over the break-in.

She said the iPad had also contained photographs which couldn’t be replaced and she was now having trouble sleeping at night.

Busby was arrested about a fortnight after the burglary and a stolen watch and a necklace were found at his home.

Mr Menary said the police also found Busby’s DNA on the hammer left at the scene.

Busby, of Edward Close, Southowram, pleaded guilty to burglary at Bradford Crown Court and Judge Jonathan Carroll jailed him for 41 months after hearing that the defendant had previous convictions for house burglary, robbery and wounding.