A "CAREER criminal" from Leigh who burgled a widow's home and dumped her dead husband's belongings in a bin has had an appeal against his sentence thrown out by top judges.

Sean Kelleher, who has 67 previous convictions, stole car keys from the mother-of-two's home and drove away her Mercedes, before callously putting sentimental items belonging to her deceased husband in a bin.

Kelleher, of Richmond Drive, Higher Folds, Leigh, was jailed for three-and-a-half years after he was convicted of burglary and theft at Chester Crown Court last October.

Today, three senior judges at London's Criminal Appeal Court rejected his sentence challenge, saying they "could not find fault" in his punishment.

Mr Justice Green said Kelleher, aged 33, took the keys from the victim's home in Culceth, Warrington, while she and her two sons were sleeping late one night last May.

The next day, police found the £17,500 car close to Kelleher's home and covertly observed him moving the vehicle and locking it with the key.

Nearby, officers discovered items — many of which were treasured due to their connection with the victim's late husband — in a bin.

When Kelleher was arrested, he told police he'd played no part in stealing the car, but was found guilty by a jury.

The sentencing judge observed that he was a "career criminal" who stole whenever he wanted something.

He had a "prolific" criminal record, having been before the courts on 32 occasions and receiving convictions for 67 offences since 1997, when he was just 16, the appeal judge said.

Kelleher had convictions for burglary, theft, robbery, possession of drugs with intent to supply and for interfering with a vehicle. A variety of punishments had failed to deter his "proclivity for acquisitive crime", he added.

On appeal, Kelleher's barrister argued that the sentencing judge erred in handing him such a stiff sentence for two offences, which effectively stemmed form the same course of conduct.

Mr Justice Green, sitting with Lady Justice Macur and Judge Keith Cutler, said: "We cannot, on the particular facts of this case, find fault with the judge's ultimate conclusion.

"In particular, the long list of previous convictions was a seriously aggravating matter, which justified the imposition of a sentence that would otherwise have been excessive.

"In these circumstances, we conclude that the judge did not err in the sentence he imposed. The appeal is dismissed."