A HEROIN addict who stole the wedding ring from the finger of a dead woman in a Worcester chapel of rest, and tried to sell it to a jeweller, has been locked up for two years.

Darren Simpson burgled the funeral parlour of AV Band in St Nicholas Street, Worcester, on the day he was released by police after being arrested for shoplifting.

The theft caused distress to the family of Brenda Brooker, who had asked to be buried wearing the ring, Worcester Crown Court heard on Friday.

When Simpson failed to sell the ring to jewellers in Angel Street, he sold it to a man who was so disgusted when he heard about the theft that he handed it to police.

The 20-year-old, of Rose Avenue, Tolladine, Worcester, was sent to detention for two years after admitting burglary, three charges of theft, and failing to attend court. He asked for 22 other offences to be considered.

Recorder Peter Carr ordered that Simpson, a father-of-two, should serve an added 75 days for a previous sentence from which he had been released early.

Adam Western, defending, said Simpson had described the theft from the funeral parlour as "horrible, cold-hearted, mean and insensitive".

He was ashamed of what he had done and the distress he had caused to the family.

The theft showed how low Simpson had sunk because of his drug addiction and the need to fund it.

The mother of his children had refused to have him back until he had kicked the habit. He had been making good progress on remand.

Simpson, who had 58 previous offences including 32 for dishonesty, admitted stealing chocolate from Star News in Worcester, jars of coffee from the Co-op in Ombersley Road and £30 from the Henwick Road service station.

The recorder said the most serious offence was the theft of the ring from the corpse.

Fortunately, the relatives had been able to carry out her wish to be buried wearing it.