Man who returned stolen ring receives four years

A convicted robber who returned a wedding ring to his neighbour after he had stolen it from his house some weeks previously has been sentenced to four years in prison for the burglary.

Keith Smith (aged 33), who has 138 previous convictions, broke into the family home while they were on holiday. He told gardaí that he stole the ring, a laptop, €350 in communion money, Stg £100, three watches, three leather jackets and a Nintendo DS, in order to feed his €1,000 a day crack cocaine habit.