Church leaders blast thief for roof lead raid
9:13am Monday 23rd January 2012 in News
THEFT from places of worship can never be justified and shows “callous regard for people and property”, church leaders have said.
Fr John Flynn, of the Diocese of Salford, spoke out after a thief was caught stripping lead from the roof of a derelict church in Farnworth.
Daniel Barnes used a rope to climb onto the roof of St Gregory’s RC Church but was caught red handed after police received a tip off.
Bolton Magistrates’ Court heard that tiles had been thrown to the ground and tools including a crow bar and chisel were found. The offence happened on December 6 at 3.40am.
Barnes, aged 23, of Nandywell, Little Lever, pleaded guilty to stealing lead worth £50 when he appeared in court on Friday and was ordered to complete 60 hours unpaid work. The court heard that it was not the first time that the church had been targeted for lead.
A figure could not be put on how much the damage would cost to repair. District Judge Jonathan Feinstein ordered Barnes to pay £200 compensation and £85 costs.
He said: “I hope you have learned your lesson. Stay away. The theft of lead has become a major issue.
If it had been a railway line or gas fitting you could have gone to prison.”
Fr Flynn said: “The theft from St Gregory's is an act of callous disregard for people and property. Theft can never be justified, and we are glad the offender has been brought to justice. We are grateful to the police for acting so efficiently.”
Church insurer Ecclesiastical revealed that Greater Manchester churches had among the highest number of lead and valuable metal thefts in the country last year — the worst on record for claims made by churches for metal theft.
