A heartless woman stole £20,000 of jewellery from her mother and sold it to pay for tattoos, socialising and alcohol, a court heard.

Kirsty Foord received just £2,000 for the valuable and sentimental items, which were lost when they were melted down by the buyer.

The 23-year-old, of Greggswood Road, Tunbridge Wells, escaped with 18 weeks' imprisonment suspended for two years with supervision after admitting theft.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Foord took the jewellery from her mother Zena between September and November last year.

The haul included 42 gold rings, four bangles, nine pairs of gold earrings, a wishbone gold necklace, two gate gold bracelets, two pendant necklaces and another bracelet.

Foord was said to be "truly ashamed" of what she had done and desperate to regain contact with her family. She realised her mother may never forgive her.

She said she did not know why she took the jewellery, but admitted frittering it away on such things as tattoos. She said: "I deserve everything I get."

Judge Philip Statman told Foord: "The theft had a profound effect on your mother, who has lost items of considerable value and lost the relationship with you.

"Sadly, the property has been melted down. The probation service has worked long and hard with you. You have mental health issues linked to your cannabis use."

But the judge said he was "just persuaded" he could suspend the prison sentence.