A FOOTBALLER from the New Forest has avoided jail after stealing £50,000 worth of jewellery.

Ben Rizzo stole two diamond rings worth £40,000 from a home in Chilbolton near Stockbridge.

Months later the 27-year-old stole £10,000 worth of sentimental jewellery from a home in Winchester.

The former Lymington Town player pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and a further charge of possessing drugs worth £500.

Winchester Crown Court heard on both occasions Rizzo took items when the homeowner was out and he was trusted to carry out maintenance work.

In the first theft, Rizzo, of Furzecroft, New Milton, sold two rings worth £40,000 at a pawnbrokers.

Months later defender Rizzo, who left Lymington Town FC two years ago, stole £10,000 worth of sentimental jewellery from the home of Sophie Riem, the wife of the former acting dean of Winchester Cathedral Roly Riem, from their home in The Close, Winchester.

Items stolen included a wedding necklace, a fire opal ring worth more than £4000 and engagement earrings.

Mrs Riem said in a statement said that she feels unable to trust people going into her home following the theft.

Both of the rings from the theft in Chilbolton were recovered, but only half of the items stolen from Mrs Riem’s home have been found.

The court heard the theft was to fund Rizzo’s drug addiction.

Judge Christopher Parker QC, described his crimes as “despicable” and handed him a 28-month suspended sentence. He was also asked to pay back £2000.

The judge said: “What you did was utterly despicable, you were trusted to go into those homes and you simply stole from the owners.”

Rizzo was also asked to do a drug rehabilitation activity course for 25 days and 300 hours unpaid work, as well as a six month curfew.

Mitigating Barry McElduff said “Before these offences and his problems with drugs he was a young hard working man.

“He has taken steps to address the fact behind his offending behaviour.”