A GARDENER stole hundreds of pounds of sentimental family jewellery from a Southampton house he was working at – just weeks before the homeowner returned to bury her last remaining relative, a court heard.

Richard Davies seized a collection of wedding and engagement rings dating back more than 100 years during a burglary at a property in Bitterne.

Now he is beginning an eight-month prison term after being sentenced for burglary.

It comes as a family friend reveals the woman is “heartbroken” at losing the family heirlooms, which the court heard has left her “emotionally scarred”.

Davies, 23, of Bitterne Road West, who admitted the charges, stood at Southampton Crown Court where his girlfriend wept as she looked on from the public gallery.

The court heard that in July last year the gardener was asked to carry out three days work at a house in Bitterne belonging to a woman living in France.

Prosecutor Simon Edwards told the court how Davies accessed the house with keys he was given and he and two friends helped themselves to jewellery stored in cupboards, the court heard.

The collection included wedding and engagement rings belonging to the woman’s mother and grandmother, a gold cross and a selection of coins which were sold to a pawnbroker, it was heard.

The court heard how the woman discovered the items were missing on August 10 when she returned to this country for the funeral of her last remaining relative – shortly before planning to retire and move back to the house which has been in her family since 1910.

Davies immediately admitted the theft and returned to the pawnbroker with the woman but the items had already gone, the court heard.

He was arrested, but his accomplices have never been brought to court, it was heard.

In a statement written read to the court by Mr Edwards the woman said she was “traumatised” by the ordeal, and said: “I am emotionally and psychologically scarred from this burglary. I feel I’ve been robbed of part of my history and identity.”

In mitigation Jo Chester, for Davies, stressed her client had tried to return the items to his victim, telling the court he and his girlfriend were expecting their first child.

Ms Chester said: “He’s shown remorse and he has tried to make reparation.”

But Judge Peter Henry declared that Davies – who has a previous conviction for robbery – must serve go to jail for his serious “abuse of trust”.

Sentencing him to eight months in prison Judge Henry said: “It must be understood that when people commit these offences the courts will deal with them seriously. Even if you tried to get the property back it was too little too late and had an enormous affect on the victim.”

Afterwards family friend Karl Foreman said: “She’s heartbroken - its ripped her heart out and she’s crying all the time. These are things that can’t be replaced and we will never get them back.”