A BURGLAR stole jewellery and computer equipment from the home of a grieving mum whose daughter had died days earlier.

Caleb Warren raided the Bournemouth home of Natalie Elbrow as the 47-year-old said her final goodbyes to daughter Daisy, 15, at the Julia's House children's hospice on November 23 last year.

Among the items stolen from the Leybourne Avenue property was an Apple MacBook Air laptop bought for Daisy using funding donated from Poole Hospital.

The teen, who died four days before the burglary following a seven-month battle with cancer renal cell carcinoma, used the computer as a "portal to the outside world" during her illness.

Warren, of Solly Close in Poole, walked free from Bournemouth Crown Court this morning after admitting burglary.

The 32-year-old was made the subject of a two-year community order, and must complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement as part of his sentence.

He was also ordered to pay £440 in compensation. He had been in custody since his arrest.

In the days after the burglary, police made a public appeal for information that would lead them to the burglar. Their plea made the front page of the Daily Echo.

Three days later, officers were called to a takeaway in Wimborne Road after the owners were sold a Macbook and iPad.

They had become suspicious about the provenance of the equipment after hearing of the burglary, and provided high-quality CCTV footage to detectives.

As a result, Warren and his accomplice Natasha Stark, of Monks Way in Bournemouth, were arrested.

In March, Stark, 36, was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for two years after admitting handling stolen goods and a separate charge of shoplifting. She was also ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and undertake 150 hours of unpaid work.

Detective Constable Ben Swain, of Dorset Police’s priority crime team, said: “Burglary offences have a significant impact on victims. This particular crime happened at an extremely traumatic time for the victim who was grieving the loss of her teenage daughter.

"The laptop that was stolen was of huge sentimental value and meant so much to Daisy and her family. We are grateful to the members of public for their assistance in helping us to return it to them.

“Dorset Police takes burglary crime extremely seriously and we will use all investigative means to catch those responsible and bring them before the court.

“Our thoughts remain with Daisy’s friends and family.”