'Wicked' robber Robert Ziga who wrenched a treasured engagement ring from an elderly stroke victim as she lay helpless in her hospital bed has been jailed for five years . A thief who ripped an engagement ring from an elderly  woman's finger as she lay in a hospital bed has been jailed for five years. Robert Ziga, 29, was told he had committed a crime that was 'distinctively abhorrent'. The Slovakian had prowled a cancer ward for 90 minutes as he sought a  suitable victim, before strolling into  75-year-old Christine Brown's private room unchallenged. She initially mistook him for her son and affectionately reached out to him, but screamed when she realised what was happening. The thief fled down a fire escape with Mrs Brown's diamond engagement ring, which she had worn for 52 years, and mobile phone as staff alerted by the screams gave chase. Both of the items were later recovered by police. Bradford Crown Court heard that when officers brought the ring to Mrs Brown's Bradford home to check it was the right one, her husband John, 75, kissed it through the evidence bag. Ziga admitted robbery and was jailed for five years and four months. Judge Robert Bartfield told him that his crime had left Mrs Brown traumatised. 'She had been petrified you were going to hurt her,' he said. 'You were too strong for her. 'I regard the invasion of a room in hospital just as serious as [that of] a person's own home. 'This is where they go to recuperate, away from thieving hands like yours. 'As a matter of policy it must be made clear those who steal from hospital patients can expect long sentences.' Robert Ziga cased Bradford Royal Infirmary before robbing 75-year-old Christine Brown of her treasured engagement ring . Mrs Brown had been in hospital for almost a month after falling at home. Due to her poor health, she was placed on the cancer ward despite not having the disease. She had earlier had two strokes and had significant mobility problems, with little movement on the right side of her body. The incident in Bradford Royal Infirmary in January had a detrimental effect on her health and led to her being critically ill, her son Damian said. When she showed improvement in May she had to be placed near the nurses' station in a rehabilitation centre so that she would feel safe. Before the theft, Ziga was seen looking into the rooms on ward 15 where Mrs Brown had been recovering. He struck once she was alone. Judge Bartfield told him: 'This lady was left in huge distress, not surprisingly. 'Goodness knows what thoughts went through her mind when this was happening. 'This offence is not unique, but very distinctive in the abhorrence that everybody must feel for what you chose to do to that lady.' Nigel Hamilton, defending, agreed: 'This was an abhorrent offence. It was mean and  wicked. Members of the public will quite naturally be appalled.' Christine Brown was left 'crying and shaking' after thief Robert Ziga left her in her private room on the cancer ward at Bradford Royal Infirmary . However, he said Ziga made a full admission to police and told them where the ring  could be found. Ziga, a drug addict, came to the UK in  2004 with his wife and daughter, now aged 11. He had received convictions for dishonesty since arriving in the UK, and had a criminal record for minor offences dating back to when he was 17. Detective Constable Richard Oxley of Bradford South CID welcomed his jail sentence. 'This was a heartless and despicable act committed against an elderly patient at her most vulnerable,' he said outside court. 'Ziga displayed greed  when most would have shown compassion, inflicting only further strain on his victim's health.' A spokesman for the Bradford Teaching Hospitals  NHS Foundation Trust defended security measures at its hospital. 'We would like to reassure patients that this was an isolated incident and we encourage staff, patients and visitors to be vigilant at all times and report any suspicious behaviour,' they said.
Robert Ziga staked out Bradford Royal Infirmary for more than 90 minutes .
Theft described as 'abhorrent' by judge and mitigating lawyer .
Victim, 75, left 'crying and shaking' on hospital's cancer ward .
'Wicked' robber Robert Ziga who wrenched a treasured engagement ring from an elderly stroke victim as she lay helpless in her hospital bed has been jailed for five years . A thief who ripped an engagement ring from an elderly woman's finger as she lay in a hospital bed has been jailed for five years. Robert Ziga, 29, was told he had committed a crime that was 'distinctively abhorrent'. The Slovakian had prowled a cancer ward for 90 minutes as he sought a  suitable victim, before strolling into 75-year-old Christine Brown's private room unchallenged. She initially mistook him for her son and affectionately reached out to him, but screamed when she realised what was happening. The thief fled down a fire escape with Mrs Brown's diamond engagement ring, which she had worn for 52 years, and mobile phone as staff alerted by the screams gave chase. Both of the items were later recovered by police. Bradford Crown Court heard that when officers brought the ring to Mrs Brown's Bradford home to check it was the right one, her husband John, 75, kissed it through the evidence bag. Ziga admitted robbery and was jailed for five years and four months. Judge Robert Bartfield told him that his crime had left Mrs Brown traumatised. 'She had been petrified you were going to hurt her,' he said. 'You were too strong for her. 'I regard the invasion of a room in hospital just as serious as [that of] a person's own home. 'This is where they go to recuperate, away from thieving hands like yours. 'As a matter of policy it must be made clear those who steal from hospital patients can expect long sentences.' Robert Ziga cased Bradford Royal Infirmary before robbing 75-year-old Christine Brown of her treasured engagement ring . Mrs Brown had been in hospital for almost a month after falling at home. Due to her poor health, she was placed on the cancer ward despite not having the disease. She had earlier had two strokes and had significant mobility problems, with little movement on the right side of her body. The incident in Bradford Royal Infirmary in January had a detrimental effect on her health and led to her being critically ill, her son Damian said. When she showed improvement in May she had to be placed near the nurses' station in a rehabilitation centre so that she would feel safe. Before the theft, Ziga was seen looking into the rooms on ward 15 where Mrs Brown had been recovering. He struck once she was alone. Judge Bartfield told him: 'This lady was left in huge distress, not surprisingly. 'Goodness knows what thoughts went through her mind when this was happening. 'This offence is not unique, but very distinctive in the abhorrence that everybody must feel for what you chose to do to that lady.' Nigel Hamilton, defending, agreed: 'This was an abhorrent offence. It was mean and  wicked. Members of the public will quite naturally be appalled.' Christine Brown was left 'crying and shaking' after thief Robert Ziga left her in her private room on the cancer ward at Bradford Royal Infirmary . However, he said Ziga made a full admission to police and told them where the ring could be found. Ziga, a drug addict, came to the UK in  2004 with his wife and daughter, now aged 11. He had received convictions for dishonesty since arriving in the UK, and had a criminal record for minor offences dating back to when he was 17. Detective Constable Richard Oxley of Bradford South CID welcomed his jail sentence. 'This was a heartless and despicable act committed against an elderly patient at her most vulnerable,' he said outside court. 'Ziga displayed greed  when most would have shown compassion, inflicting only further strain on his victim's health.' A spokesman for the Bradford Teaching Hospitals  NHS Foundation Trust defended security measures at its hospital. 'We would like to reassure patients that this was an isolated incident and we encourage staff, patients and visitors to be vigilant at all times and report any suspicious behaviour,' they said.
'Wicked' robber Robert Ziga who wrenched a prowled a cancer ward for 90 minutes as he sought Bradford Royal Infirmary before robbing Christine Brown was left 'crying and shaking'