A NEWLY-RELEASED prisoner who raided two Burnley chuches in one night is back behind bars - as a judge slammed his behaviour as "deplorable."

Father of three Paul Smith, 21 pinched cash from the United Reformed Church, Bethesda Street and helped himself to more money and two charity boxes from Central Methodist Church on Hargreaves Street.

Jailing him for a total of 15 months at Burnley Crown Court, Judge Christopher Cornwall told the defendant, who struck eight days after his release from prison, churches, temples, mosques and synagogues were places of enormous importance to those who worshipped in them. No doubt the parishioners of the two targeted premises would have heard with great sadness that their churches were invaded by him.

The judge went on: "Whats even more deplorable is that both churches have good hearted members of the congregation who provide free drinks throughout the day for people in need."

Smith, then living in Burnley, admitted two burglaries and having an offensive weapon and had been committed for sentence by Burnley magistrates. He was given nine months in prison to be served after the six month unexpired portion of his previous sentence.

Keith Thomas, prosecuting, said both premises were hit last August 31. Smith broke a ground floor window to get into the United Reformed Church and stole the contents of the payphone in the main hall.

The caretaker of the Central Methodist found a fire door ajar and cupboards and drawers were open. Smith had taken £20 from the coffee bar and emptied two charity boxes. Smith was arrested on Nov 28 and admitted the offences.

On September 14, police found Smith with a small lump hammer up his sleeve in Burnley centre. He said he had found it on the bus.

Mohammed Valli, defending, said Smith knew custody was inevitable. As a young boy he did not have a stable background after his mother died at an early age.