A chip shop worker has been branded a “mean and nasty” burglar...after raiding the home of his child’s godmother!

Opportunist thief Jhonny Martins, 28, knew the Folkestone family would be away when he broke into their home.

He stole chef Angela Defreitas Pestana’s wages and two wedding rings after forcing his way into her home in Darby Road.

And even when the pawned jewellery was later found in a pawn shop he spoke in Portuguese to try and persuade her to deny ownership of the £365 rings.

Martins, of Ryland Place, Folkestone was given a suspended jail sentence after admitting the burglary – and ordered to pay back the stolen cash.

Prosecutor Jim Harvey told Canterbury Crown Court how Martins broke into the home of Ms Defreitas Pestana when he knew the family were away.

Martins then took her £210 wages and the rings which he then took to a local branch of The Money Shop to pawn and use the cash to pay off a drugs debts.

“This was a mean and nasty burglary. You targeted people that you knew" - Judge Adele Williams

Mr Harvey said that after being alerted to the break-in, officers checked with local shops and located the rings.

But when Ms Defreitas Pestana spoke to father-of-one Martins on the telephone, he told her in Portuguese: “Tell them they are not your rings so that I am not arrested and go to prison!”

Andrew Espley, for Martins said he had sought help for his drugs problem from a centre which helps people with drug and alcohol addiction.

Judge Adele Williams told him: “This was a mean and nasty burglary. You targeted people that you knew.

“The wife in this household is godmother to your daughter and you stole rings from them at a time when you knew they would not be there.

“And you did this to fund a drugs debt. You could not complain in any shape or form if I sent you straight to prison.”

Martins was given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work for the community.

He has also been ordered to remain in his home between 10 pm and 7 am for the next three months.

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