Two “callous” brothers have been jailed after they were caught red-handed with treasured medals stolen from the home of a centenarian war hero.

Leslie Stelfox’s medals were found in a carrier bag in gardens connected to Benjamin and Sidney Samuels, along with other property taken from burglaries.

Benjamin Samuels, 33, and Sidney Samuels, 38, both of Milbourne Grove, Milton Regis, were originally charged with conspiracy to burgle, but the prosecution accepted their guilty pleas to handling stolen goods.

The were each jailed for two years and three months.

Alan Looker, 33, also of Milbourne Grove, also denied conspiracy to burgle and admitted two handling offences. He was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

Maidstone Crown Court heard there was a spate of burglaries in a specific location in Sittingbourne between January and March this year.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd said they were close to where the brothers and Looker lived.

Benjamin Samuels had been seen climbing over a fence to Looker’s home. He left a screwdriver by the fence.

Officers went to Looker’s home and found him and Sidney Samuels hiding under a tree in an adjoining garden.

Property from various burglaries was nearby in carrier bags.

It included Mr Stelfox’s six campaign medals and five of his father Arthur’s from the First World War, stolen from his home in Cherry Close, Milton Regis, on March 18.

Mr Stelfox, now 101, had been attending a function at the Royal British Legion at the time of the burglary.

“The medals were no doubt of great sentimental value to him and he was devastated they were taken,” said Miss Todd.

Miss Todd said Benjamin Samuels had 59 previous convictions for theft and similar offences. Sidney Samuels had 21 convictions for theft and other offences.

They had spent almost seven months on remand, while Looker had been on bail.

Recorder Paul Taylor told the brothers: “This is a case of professional handling. It is clear you were close to the people who were burgling homes in this area.

“This case is particularly aggravated by the callous crime of stealing the war medals of a man. Those items would have been irreplaceable and must have caused him great distress.”

One of the brothers shouted to family in the public gallery as he left the dock: “See you in six months.”

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