AN Urmston mum who stole expensive watches from a Manchester City midfielder after a boozy party at his house has walked free with a suspended sentence.

Rebecca Grove, aged 20, was invited back to the Trafford home of Vladimir Weiss with her pal Raegan Daniels, aged 19, after the pair met him on a night out in Manchester.

Grove, who has a two-year-old daughter, swiped a £16,000 Hublot and a £4,000 Breitling watch, along with Mr Weiss’s iPod, from a cupboard in the kitchen as the 21-year-old footballer slept upstairs.

Mr Weiss realised the items were missing the following morning and, checking his CCTV footage, saw Grove going into the kitchen.

Grove gave the Breitling watch to Daniels, who later panicked and threw it into the Manchester Ship Canal, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

The valuable Hublot watch and the iPod were later returned to Mr Weiss.

Grove, of Woodbridge Road, pleaded guilty to theft at an earlier hearing. She was sent to a young offenders institution for six months, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Daniels, of Repton Avenue, Urmston, admitted handling stolen goods. She was sent to a young offenders institution for four months, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.

The court heard Daniels has now lost her job as a support worker for adults with learning difficulties.

Both women will also be electronically tagged. Grove will not be able to leave her home between the hours of 7pm and 7am for four months. The same order was passed on Daniels, but for a three-month period.

Nicoletta Amatino, prosecuting, said: “At around 5am, Mr Weiss was asleep when Rebecca Grove came upstairs and... insisted they leave hurriedly.”

Both women had no previous convictions. The court heard they were ashamed of their offences.

Jason MacAdam, defending Grove, said: “The stupidity has dawned on these young females.”

Judge Peter Lakin said: “These offences were not only very serious, but also very mean. Mr Weiss invited both of you into his home. You repaid his hospitality with dishonesty.”