Two men from North Wales who stole £8,000 in cash and family heirlooms from a farmhouse, near Carno, have both been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Mold Crown Court heard how one of the men had worked on a wind farm in the area and got to know about the premises which had been in the same family for more than 100 years.

Semi-retired farmer Thomas Pritchard returned to Rhos Fach Farm, near Carno, to find that the premises had been ransacked and items of jewellery - including family heirlooms of great sentimental value - £8,000 in cash and tools had been taken.

Police got a lead very quickly after a distinctive car was seen near the premises.

The vehicle was linked to the defendants and officers went to premises in Caernarfon where some of the stolen property was recovered.

David Peters, 36, of Cremar Bethna in Caernarfon, and Lee Himlin, 40, of New Street, Deiniolen, admitted burglary and Peters admitted a £4,800 fraud by using a stolen bank card, between June 29 and July 2.

Both were jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Judge Niclas Parry sad that they travelled a considerable distance to carry out a “pre-planned and targeted burglary” in a dwelling.

There would be no reason for them to travel so far but for the fact that they knew through Peters’ contacts that there was a particular way of life in that area of Mid Wales which would give them an opportunity to steal.

The court heard that the victim was semi-retired, but still worked at the farm with his nephew.

“You caused damage on entering and you searched every single room,” said Judge Parry.

They took £8,000 in cash and items which fell genuinely within the definition of sentimental value.

They had also taken a working man’s tools and the victims health and spirits had been affected.

Judge Parry said their best mitigation were their guilty pleas and he accepted that they were remorseful.

Prosecuting barrister Anna Price said that Mr Pritchard had left the premises secure on June 30.

All rooms had been searched and items thrown on the floor and among the stolen items were a watch his late parents had given him when he was 21, and his late mother’s watch.

The theft of tools valued at £1,600 had affected the work on the farm.

The victim felt his diabetes and blood pressure had deteriorated following the burglary.

Miss Price said that the whole community had been affected by the burglary because it had happened in an area which had always been “such a quiet place”.

Barrister John Hedgecoe, for Himlin, said his client had a previous burglary conviction but that was a long time ago .

While on remand he had been able to help other prisoners come to terms with being in custody and there was a reference from the prison over his work with birds of prey.

His girlfriend and child would struggle if he received a prison sentence, he said.

Barrister Simon Rogers for Peters said that it was accepted that it was a serious, unpleasant offence.

He had not offended for 10 years but his case was an example of how an addiction never truly left an individual.

The defendant was married with three daughters, in 2017 his marriage came to an end and instead of dealing with it in a constructive manner his life and drug use spiralled out of control.

The burglary was committed in order to fund his addiction.