A CONMAN who distracted a confused pensioner whilst an accomplice raided and ran-sacked her Bacup home has been jailed for two years eight months.

Graeme Wolsley, 48, kept the 82-year-old woman, who suffers from dementia, talking at her door as the other man helped himself to three rings of sentimental value.

Wolsley was caught in the act by the victim’s eagle-eyed and caring neighbour, who saw the two men at the vulnerable pensioner's home at 10.30pm, alerted police and confronted him.

Wolsley, who has a record for burglary, including one for a previous “distraction” offence, admitted burglary last July.

The defendant, whose behaviour was described as “unforgiveable” by his own barrister, is formerly of Inkerman Street, Bacup.

Sentencing, Recorder Susan Grocott, told the defendant he was no stranger to the courts for house burglaries at one stage.

The judge said the victim must have been frightened and went added: “Her vulnerability would have been immediately apparent to you, drunk or not.

Francis McEntee, for the prosecution, told the court the victim had been unable to provide a detailed statement.

She heard a knock at her front door about 10.30pm and the defendant engaged her in conversation. Another man searched the rooms of her house and took three rings, one of them an engagement ring and another an eternity ring, in a jewellery box. The rings had belonged to her mother. The victim was angry and upset about what happened.

The victim's neighbour, Doug Nangle spotted some-one going up and down the stairs in her home and searching rooms.He decided to take action and went to the house.

Keith Harrison, for Wolsley, said: “It’s unforgiveable but perhaps he’s in a less serious position than the people who conceived the plan and ransacked the house. Others, perhaps more responsible, have got away scott free.”