NEW ideas on punishing burglars have been welcomed by an East Lancashire family.

A three-month public consultation has been launched to look at the lengths of sentences for burglary and whetehr factors such as distress to victims should be taken into account more.

Under the plans by the Sentencing Council, burglars who target homes would be expected to be sent to jail, but community orders may be appropriate for the lowest level of offenders, such as those who take goods of little or no value.

However there would be a renewed emphasis on more severe sentences on those who inflict anguish or trauma on their victims as well as those armed with weapons.

Alison Micklethwaite and her husband Andy said they agreed with the review.

The couple were devastated when cash, a mobile phone, a handbag and a laptop, which contained video footage of their seriously ill daughter Sophie, were stolen from their Burnley home in November 2009.

Sophie, who has a rare blood deficiency, had received a life-saving bone marrow transplant at Manchester Children's Hospital days before the theft.

Alison said she suported victim’s feelings and the seriousness of the crime being taken into account more.

She said: “Sentencing should definately reflect the impact on the victim and should be about an item’s sentimental as well as monetary value.

“We managed to recover the laptop and take documents from it, but what upset me more was that a cheap, £10 mobile phone was stolen containing text messages and bible verses people had sent to comfort us when Sophie was very ill.

“I wanted to write them all down in a book but I was stopped from doing that.

“I’m all for community payback and restorative justice, because that makes criminals think about what they have done, but it’s not for everyone.

“I’m not sure our eldest daughter would want to meet the burglar who took things from under her pillow.”

A 29-year-old man who stole from the Micklethwaites was jailed for three-and-a-half years for burglary last May.