A BURGLAR who carried out a crowbar raid on a home near Worcester and stole precious jewellery which had been in the same family for generations will have to spend an extra six months in jail.

Marcin Ptasinski, already serving a prison sentence for a spate of burglaries, discovered he would not be released this month as anticipated after he was sentenced for another burglary in Main Road, Hallow.

The 40-year-old, who also has similar convictions in his native Poland, appeared over videolink at Worcester Crown Court from HMP Hewell and looked sombre as he learned he would not be getting out of jail.

During the Hallow burglary between October 31 and November 7, 2018 Ptasinski stole a large quantity of jewellery which had been in the family for generations and could not be replaced.

He also made off with a laptop, mobile telephones, an iPod, a suitcase, a bag and sunglasses.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said Ptasinski was already serving a prison sentence for other burglaries, carried out at around the same time as the one committed in Hallow.

However, there had been a delay in the charging decision which meant he was not sentenced for the Hallow burglary at the same time as the others, described by a judge as 'a prosecution cock-up'.

The court heard that Ptasinski was jailed for two years and seven months in January last year and was due for release on March 24 this year.

The Hallow burglary happened while the victim was away and 'significant damage was caused'.

This occurred as the back door was forced open and there was also damage to the rear sliding doors.

The cost of the repairs was £6,500 and jewellery valued at £7,000 was stolen, Mr Conry told the court.

"It's clear a crowbar of some kind was used," he said.

The victim said her jewellery had once belonged to her grandmother and great grandmother and included engagement rings.

Mr Conry said: "The jewellery had been in her family generations and cannot be replaced."

In a victim personal statement the homeowner said: "I did not feel safe in my own home."

Mr Conry placed the burglary in category A in the sentencing guidelines in terms of harm and also said there was an element of higher culpability because Ptasinski had been equipped with a tool to force entry.

He said Ptasinski also committed a burglary in Poland in 2005 and also had a previous conviction for robbery, also carried out in Poland for which he was jailed for three years.

Abigail Nixon, defending, argued that her client should have been charged with the burglary at the time and that it was unlikely, had he been sentenced at the same time as he had been for the other burglaries, that he would have received a significantly longer sentence.

Judge Jim Tindal described Ptasinski as 'an inveterate burglar' and added: "What is really unpleasant about this particular offence, which by the sound of it you can't even really remember, is that you conducted an extremely untidy search and you had been equipped for the burglary."

However, the judge said Ptasinski should have been sentenced at the same time for the other burglaries which he took into account, telling him that such a burglary on its own would normally attract a prison sentence of around 30 months.

He said the original sentence would not have been dramatically longer than the one imposed, describing the delay in charging as a 'prosecution cock-up as opposed to anything deliberate'.

The judge jailed Ptasinski for an extra 12 months of which he can expect to serve half in custody.