A HARD-up carer jailed for six months and seven days after helping herself to a manic depressive's property when he was in hospital, must serve the full term behind bars.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Isabel Nield, 44, who sold the haul to raise cash, had once been in a relationship with victim Kenneth Johnson and pinched his laptop computer.

Throwing out her appeal against sentence, Judge Raymond Bennett, sitting with two justices, said what she had done was particularly mean and there was no merit in her appeal whatsoever. She had had a lot of chances over the years.

He added the sentence passed by the lower court had been merciful and said if she had come to the Crown Court, she would have got considerably more.

Nield, of The Crescent, Colne, had appealed against the sentence imposed by magistrates after she admitted two counts of theft, deception and a bail act offence.

She had also been re-sentenced for a community punishment order made after she stole and pawned a ring from an elderly person she was working for.

Neil Standage, prosecuting, said the appellant befriended Mr Johnson and when he was admitted to hospital, she was given the key to his home.

A substantial amount of electrical goods, worth about £1,600 were taken and Nield sold some.

Mr Johnson also later found his laptop computer was missing and when he challenged Nield, she admitted she had taken it to the shop.

Katherine Pierpoint, for Nield, said while she could not have expected anything other than a custodial sentence, she felt the total jail term was excessive.