A crook who agreed to try and pawn two precious diamond rings for a burglar has been spared a stint behind bars.
As previously reported on Chroniclelive, Mark Bell attempted to sell the stolen 18-carat sparklers, worth more than £6,000, at Newcastle Jewellery Company.
But, when questioned by the shop manager, the 39-year-old grabbed the jewels and fled.
However, Bell was later identified from CCTV and claimed he'd been trying to sell the rings for a pal, who had stolen them during a house burglary in Gosforth just 24 hours earlier.
Bell, of Clayton Road, Jesmond, previously appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court to plead guilty to one count of handling stolen goods and the case was adjourned for the preparation of a Pre-Sentence Report.
The dad was back in the dock on Wednesday, where he was told he'd come "extremely close" to going straight to jail.
Giving him a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, chairing magistrate, Winnie Clayton, said: "The credit for your guilty plea is that we are not sending this to the crown court."
The court heard that it was at 9am on December 13 last year that Bell walked into Newcastle Jewellery Company, on Pilgrim Street, in Newcastle city centre.
Grace Taylor, prosecuting, said: "The defendant spoke to the shop manager and handed him two diamond rings worth a combined total of £6,530.
"They were a diamond eternity ring and a diamond encrusted ring. These items had been stolen in a burglary. The shop manager challenged the defendant and the defendant said the rings belonged to him and left the shop with the rings."
The court heard that Bell, who has 89 offences on his record, was identified by police from CCTV and arrested.
Sophie Allinson, defending, said Bell has played no part in the burglary but had agreed to sell the rings for the perpetrator.
She added: "Mr Bell admits he initially closed his eyes and ears to what was obvious in the circumstances, that the rings were stolen, and he accepts that."
Bell was also ordered to pay £250 compensation.
