A THIEF who stole an engagement ring, left to his sister by their mother, has been jailed for six months.

Judge Richard Gioserano described the crime as a "mean" offence after learning that Ryan Dickinson took the diamond ring while staying at his sister's home on May 7.

When he left the next day he took the ring, valued at £650, and pawned it.

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Dickinson, aged 38, of Minster Road, Breightmet, is already serving a prison sentence for a separate robbery offence and appeared in at Bolton Crown Court via a video link after pleading guilty to theft.

David Lees, prosecuting said: "As mean as this was, his sister has said she always wanted her him to get help with his drug addiction. She just wants her brother back."

Katie Jones, defending, added: "He apologises to the court and his sister. Things have now moved on and he is clean of drugs."

Sentencing Dickinson, Judge Gioserano said: "This was obviously a mean offence — stealing you own sister's engagement ring your mother had left to her. It's an indication of just how low you can go when you have a drug addiction to feed. It can't go much lower than this."