A BURGLAR who trashed a woman’s home and stole her parents’ rings and military medals has been jailed.

The victim found her toilet cistern overflowing and flooding her bathroom and hallway, every cupboard and drawer emptied in disarray in every room, her bedroom window smashed and the front door open when she returned home from work, said Stephanie Hancock, prosecuting.

Nigel Anthony Proctor, 51, had taken more than £3,000 of jewellery inherited from her deceased parents including her mother’s engagement and wedding rings, her father’s military medals and the 25th wedding anniversary necklace her father gave her mother.

In her personal statement, the woman described how she now has to pause outside her house every time she arrives home because she fears someone will be inside and no longer feels safe in her home. She wrote: “I think it will be a long, long time before I get over this.”

“She was traumatised by it, absolutely traumatised by it,” the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris told Proctor.

Proctor, of The Grove, Malton, pleaded guilty to burglary at York Crown Court and was jailed for 32 months.

For him, Chris Dunn said he had very little memory of the burglary and no idea why he did it. He was very remorseful and had a long addiction to alcohol.

Ms Hancock said Proctor was identified by DNA left at the ransacked Malton house.

He told officers where he had pawned the rings for £170 and where he had cached the rest of the jewellery for sale later on to raise funds for alcohol.

All the jewellery was returned to the victim.

Proctor also stole her mobile phone and told police he had thrown it in the River Derwent.

Detective Constable Vicky Millington, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “This was a truly terrifying ordeal for the victim.

“The impact of being burgled and knowing that someone has been into your home should never be underestimated, it has a devastating impact on victims and leaves them feeling frightened and unsafe long after the initial incident.

“I hope this sentence sends out a clear message to other criminals who break into people’s home, police will pursue you, convict you and put you in front of the courts to ensure justice is done.

“Whilst nothing can take away the stress and fear that Proctor inflicted on the victim in this case, I hope she will be able to take some comfort knowing that he is now behind bars.”