Turkish court jails NI man who swallowed £30k diamond ring

Ian Campbell, aged 54 from Newry, was sentenced to eight years and nine months for “qualified theft” by a court in Marmaris, the Turkish media has reported.

Mr Campbell was arrested on October 4 last year for trying to steal the 2.5 carat diamond from a jewellery store, before swallowing it when he feared he would be caught.

At the time, he explained to prosecutors that he had become obsessed with diamond rings after losing his wife in a tragic accident.

“I lost my wife in a traffic accident in Ireland. Her body could not be removed from the car, which fell into a lake, for days after the accident. Her diamond ring, our wedding ring, could not be found despite a search operation in the lake. This incident caused my obsession for diamond rings,” he added.

Campbell told the court that he had fallen “into a trance” when he saw the diamonds, adding: “The jeweller was telling me something but I couldn’t even hear him because I was in a trance.

“When I was conscious again, I found myself hiding a diamond in my pocket and I swallowed it in panic as jewellers started to search it,” he said.

Prosecutors ordered police to take him to hospital to return the ring by “natural means”.

Turkish media tracked the ring’s progress almost in real time over two days, as Campbell ate, drank, ran and jumped around the hospital corridors with a police escort.

After 36 hours without success, he consented to surgery to help return the property.

Campbell, who was under arrest pending trial, is expected to appeal the ruling.