Burglar jailed for raiding elderly woman's Sheffield home and stealing her wedding ring

Terrence Tierney, of Derby Street, Heeley carried out the burglary on August 13 this year, while his elderly victim was out for the day, Sheffield Crown Court heard.

When she returned to her home at around 3.40pm that day, she realised that something was ‘amiss,’ said Michael Tooley, prosecuting.

“The cupboard next to her front door had been opened, and its contents had been disturbed,” said Mr Tooley.

He added: “She was aware that her house had been searched. Drawers in her bedroom had been disturbed...two jewellery boxes containing costume jewellery, and a smaller jewellery box containing gold were missing. One of the items stolen from the smaller jewellery box was her wedding ring.

“Her wedding ring found its way to Cash Converters in Gleadless.”

Mr Tooley said it is the case of the Crown Prosecution Service that Tierney’s female co-accused took the items to Cash Converters, and she is set to stand trial accused of the allegation in February next year.

Tierney, 54, was connected to the burglary after traces of his DNA were found at the scene of the burglary.

His elderly victim said the incident had left her feeling ‘shocked and extremely upset’.

“I feel unsafe in my own home, and I feel very shocked by that,” she said.

Tierney pleaded guilty to one count of domestic burglary at an earlier hearing.

Mr Tooley said Tierney had a criminal record of some 22 offences, including two convictions for domestic burglary, which makes him a ‘third strike’ burglar and means the mandatory minimum sentence of three years applies to him.

The court was told that Tierney was a recovering drug addict who had been clean since 2010, and had previously given his time to volunteer and help others battling addiction.

He committed the burglary during a relapse, in a bid to raise the money to buy drugs.

Lucy Hogarth, defending, said: “He’s shown immense strength of character to work with other people managing their addictions, while managing his own...I wouldn’t say he’s completely wiped the slate clean, but he’s done everything that could possibly be asked of him to go in that direction.”

She added: “He feels genuine shame and remorse for his actions.”

Judge Graham Reeds QC jailed Tierney for 15 months, and told him he felt able to reduce the minimum sentence of three years by such a significant proportion because of the work he has done to help others, the fact that the other two burglaries were committed in 2001 and 2005 and because he is remorseful.

He said: “I really hope you will be able to get into a position where you are offence free, drug free and contributing to your community.”

As he was taken down to begin his sentence, Tierney said: “I apologise for my behaviour.”

Judge Reeds replied: “I accept your apology.”