A MAN has appeared in court after stealing £8,000 of jewellery from an elderly widow’s home near Grange Moor.
Declan Brady, 21, admitted burgling the house when he appeared before Kirklees magistrates.
Magistrates decided he would be sentenced by a crown court judge after hearing how he snatched the irreplaceable jewels.
Bill Astin, prosecuting, said the targeted property was a large detached house set in its own grounds in the Briestfield area and owned by a 70-year-old woman who lives alone.
On August 31, the woman left the house secure.
“When she returned back she found that the electric gates were no longer working. She climbed over a wall to get to the house and found that she had been burgled, with mostly jewellery missing.
“The electricity had been turned off at the premises.”
The Huddersfield court was told a post office worker had noticed an unfamiliar car parked outside the house. She noted the car’s registration and description of the driver.
The car was owned by Brady’s partner, who had no involvement in the theft.
Brady, of Leeds Road in Dewsbury, was arrested and claimed he had been driving around looking for a lost dog. As he drove around he noticed that the window to the woman’s house was open.
He said he switched off the power and stole the jewellery.
Mr Astin said: “The jewellery had high sentimental value. The lady’s husband died four months prior to this so this was a double blow.”
Magistrates were told Brady raided the house while on police bail for suspected arson, as well as crown court bail for a further burglary.
The bench sent him to Leeds Crown Court, where he will be sentenced by a judge on October 2. Brady was remanded in custody until that date.
