Man jailed for stealing women's rings as they slept

A care worker who targeted two elderly residents and stole "precious" rings from their fingers as they slept has been jailed for 20 months.

Bradford Crown Court heard one of Mohammed Numaan's victims, a 93-year-old woman, had worn her wedding ring for 70 years before it was stolen at The Mill House in Skipton in October.

Numaan, of Jervaulx Crescent, Bradford, also stole two other rings from her bedside drawer at the care home, with the 27-year-old admitting two counts of theft.

Judge Sophie McKone said the items had not been recovered by the time the victim passed away so she could not be buried with her "three precious rings".

Numaan's second victim had a diamond ring stolen from her finger, the court heard, with the item holding "immeasurable sentimental value" to her and her family.

He sold the rings to pawnbrokers soon after the thefts, with all the stolen jewellery eventually recovered.

"The words 'callous' and 'cruel' do not seem to meet the justice of what you did," Judge McKone told Numaan.

"Literally prising rings off the fingers of two elderly ladies as they slept in their beds."

The four stolen rings were valued at about £3,300, but the judge said their sentimental value could not be measured.

"It was done apparently for money, but it is inexcusable what you did to those two vulnerable people," she concluded.

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