A FORMER heroin addict stole gold rings from his grandfather's home only days after he was released from prison for burglary.

Clinton Ross was branded a public menace by Judge Peter Fox after Teesside Crown Court heard he broke into the house in Dodds Street, Darlington, after his relative went to collect his pension.

He stole nine gold rings from the bedroom and pawned the goods at a jewellers in the town centre on May 24.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 23-year-old needed the money to travel to Cumbria to visit his family after he discovered his younger sister had been assaulted.

Henry Trory, prosecuting, said it was several days before Ross's grandfather discovered his grandson was the thief.

It came to light after the defendant gave one of the rings to his mother as a present, and she sent it to her father by post for him to identify.

Stephen Rich, in mitigation, said Ross had no money after he was released from prison on May 20 and was desperate to visit his family after hearing about his sister's assault.

He said: "He made a very selfish and mean choice. He accepts it was extremely unpleasant thing to do."

Jailing him for two years after he pleaded guilty to burglary, Judge Fox said: "You were doing another house burglary just days after your release from a four-and-a-half-year sentence for dwelling house burglaries.

"You are a public menace. The offence is exasperated in being your own grandfather's house."

Ross, of no fixed address, was also ordered to serve an extra 819 days from his previous sentence.