Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire

The Irish tourist arrested for trying to rob a 30,000-GBP diamond ring by popping it in his mouth and swallowing it has told prosecutors he did so because he fell into a trance when he saw it.

Ian Campbell, 54, was arrested after he his bizarre visit to a jewellery shop whilst he was on holiday in the Marmaris district in Mugla province in south-western Turkey.

Campbell had told investigators that since his wife died in a car crash in which their wedding ring was lost he gets a strong urge to steal diamond rings in jewellery shops and that when he did so it was like being in a trance.

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Campbell was hospitalised after allegedly swallowing the 2.5-carat diamond ring and waited in vain for two days for it to be flushed out of his body “by natural means”.

Local media report the Irishman took laxatives in a bid to quicken the process but eventually gave up and the ring was removed from his body in an operation.

The tourist has now reportedly testified that had “fallen into a trance” when he saw the diamonds.

He reportedly said he could not hear what the jeweller was telling him as he was “in a trance” and when he came to he found himself “hiding a diamond in my pocket”.

The 54-year-old is then said to have told prosecutors he swallowed the diamond “in panic” as the jeweller had started looking for it. The ring was reportedly worth 40,000 USD (30,669 GBP).

The criminal investigation is ongoing and it is unclear if the tourist has been charged.