A Lowestoft man has been jailed for a total of 16 months after burgling the home of a woman in her 80s – stealing items including a diamond engagement ring.

Christopher Bullock, 31, of no fixed abode, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, March 18, after having his sentencing deferred last October.

Police were alerted in July of last year to reports that a man, who had been completing work at the woman's Gunton home, had entered the property and stolen a quantity of jewellery and cash.

The resident told officers that she had regularly been approached by a male named Chris – who had offered to carry out tasks including cleaning the guttering.

She had asked him to do some work to replace a felt roof at the address, but while he was at the property, she found her purse had been moved.

Becoming suspicious she checked and found that items of jewellery, including her diamond engagement ring, were missing from her bedroom – police said.

She alerted a relative who checked the property and found paint and a Scalextric set were also missing and contacted police.

Officers attended and quickly determined there were no signs of forced entry but that the bedroom would have been accessible from the roof the man had been working on – via an open window.

From the description given by the woman, police quickly identified Bullock and attempts were made to locate him.

He was arrested on July 22 after a Police Community Support Officer spotted him in Commodore Road.

In an interview he confirmed he had been at the address and gave an account for why he had been in the woman's bedroom.

Due to discrepancies in this account, which contradicted what the victim had already told police, forensic evidence and an admission that he had stolen the Scalextric, he was charged with burglary.

He was initially remanded in custody and pleaded guilty to the burglary in October, but had his sentencing deferred to give him a further chance.

However when he appeared on Friday, the court heard Bullock had been jailed following a theft from a shop and, when released from that custodial sentence, he had breached the conditions of his probation licence.

He was jailed for 16 months for the burglary.

Officer in the case DC Andrew Thawley said: 'The court noted that he had not changed his behaviour and that the burglary had been aggravated by the fact that the resident had been vulnerable, she had been at home, there was an abuse of a position of trust and that the items stolen had been of sentimental value.

'We are continuing our work to catch and convict burglars operating in the Lowestoft and Waveney area and are pleased that Bullock has been jailed for this offence.'