A sofa-surfing man who abused a friend's hospitality by stealing gold jewellery and selling it has walked free after saying he had a job lined up.

James Cooke, of Beech Tree Way, Worcester, walked from Gloucester Crown Court on Friday after he told a judge he had a job lined up as a security officer for a benefits agency.

The 25-year-old was sofa-surfing at the home of friend Simon Lewis in Brooksdale Lane, Cheltenham, last October when he entered the room of lodger Rachel Barney while she was out at work and stole the jewellery and a gold watch from a tin under her bed.

He forced open the tin - a treasured heirloom of Ms Barney's - and removed two gold necklaces, two diamond rings and the watch.

He then took the rings and necklaces to Bakers Fine Jewellers and signed a form asserting he owned the property and was entitled to sell it, said prosecutor Emilene Davis.

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Cooke used his own passport as proof of his identity to the jewellers, who paid him £1,755.

The prosecutor said police investigated the theft and recovered the rings and necklaces from the jewellers, returning them to Ms Barney.

Ms Barney said: "This incident has left me feeling violated, upset and vulnerable.

"I am shocked that he entered my personal space without my permission and has been through my personal belongings.

"I feel angry that he has damaged the metal tin that he stole the jewellery from as it belonged to my late father and was very sentimental to me."

Lloyd Jenkins, defending, said Cooke committed the offence on impulse and was motivated by the £20,000 debts he owed at the time.

Mr Jenkins said Cooke suffers from ADHD and Tourettes Syndrome.

Mr Jenkins asked the court to take into account Cooke's timely guilty plea, his regret and remorse, the fact he has no significant or similar criminal history, his young age and the fact that he has always worked and is a 'grafter' determined to do well.

He said Cooke is now living in Worcester with his parents and has a job lined up with G4S as a security officer at the Benefits Agency in Worcester.

"The job of course depends on the outcome of this case today," said Mr Jenkins. "He is ashamed of what he has done."

The lawyer said Cooke would like to compensate Ms Barney for the loss of the watch and he suggested that as its value was not known it should be estimated at about £230. 

Cooke admitted burglary and fraudulently selling the jewellery between 26-31 Oct 2022.

The judge, Recorder Mathew Turner, sentenced him to a 12 month community order with a requirement to do 120 hours of unpaid work and ordered him to pay £250 compensation to Ms Barney.

He made no order for compensation to the jewellers to cover their loss of £1,755.