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A thief involved in stealing stone mushroom ornaments from a garden has been locked up after a court heard they were regarded as heirlooms.

Two men turned up at a house in the Wrexham area and stole the four large ornaments, which had been in the family for many years.

North East Wales Magistrates' Court at Mold heard the two men took the three feet tall mushrooms and loaded them into a Ford Fiesta, together with a stone trough from the back garden.

The mushrooms were valued at £700 each and there was a total compensation bill of £3,100, but they were of great sentimental value, said prosecutor Justin Espie.

The number plate of the vehicle used had been covered with a bin bag, said the prosecutor.

Matthew Williams, 28, of Chapel Street in Johnstown, Wrexham, admitted the theft on August 6, which put him in breach of a suspended prison sentence, and was jailed for a total of 34 weeks.

Williams was jailed for 16 weeks for the theft of the mushrooms and a further 18 weeks for breaching a previously suspended sentence for the second time.

He was banned from driving for 12 months because he had used a car in the use of theft.

Defending solicitor Andy Holliday told the court that, while his client had previous convictions, he was not a thief and was very disappointed with himself.

He had been associating with drug users, was asked to go along with the theft and initially refused, he said.

But later, under the influence of drugs, he agreed to do so, the court heard.

Williams had been using drugs since the age of 14 after being introduced by a friend and had been "hooked ever since", the court heard.

He smoked cannabis and used crack cocaine and he had also started using heroin.

"He is in a desperate situation," said probation officer Miriam Arton.

The court heard he was now staying with people who did not use drugs and wanted to tackle his issues.

He had a good work ethic and had worked at a garage and at his father's car wash business, but had not worked since he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

The defendant felt alone after a breakdown in family relationships and had spent some time being assisted at the Hedfan psychiatric unit, the court heard.

A second man had been arrested and charged over the theft of the mushrooms and was currently in custody waiting to be dealt with, the court heard.