Teen steals from church appeal fund (From Wiltshire Times)

Teen steals from church appeal fund

5:08pm Thursday 27th December 2007 in Corsham By Katie Adams

A TEENAGE thief from Corsham pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and one of burglary after stealing money meant for a roof appeal at St Cyriac's Church in Lacock.

Chippenham magistrates' court heard how Lance Cowdrey, 19, of Corsham Road, Lacock stole money from the roof fund over a five-month period.

A 13-year-old boy who accompanied Cowdrey on the last theft also pleaded guilty to theft. He cannot be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Philomena Creffield told the court how Cowdrey stole £300 from collection boxes at the church from April to August.

She said: "The defendant took his father's bolt cutters and hid them in the church with a view to come back.

"Forms of entry vary from climbing over the scaffolding as well as going through the main doors.

"In August the defendant and the other boy conspired together and travelled to Lacock via walking and hitchhiking and waited in the church until all the parishioners had left, got the bolt cutters and took the cash.

"The defendant has spoken with the vicar Sally Wheeler and apologised to her for his actions.

"She says in her statement, Cowdrey has agreed to make reparations for damage caused.

"It is her view he was genuinely ashamed of his behaviour."

The court heard how police spotted the two teenagers leaving the church in August, Cowdrey escaped arrest but later came forward and made a full confession to police.

Defending Andrew Watts Jones told the court his client had admitted all the offences when questioned by the police and showed immense remorse.

Mr Watts Jones, who said the amount stolen was £65 gave the court a letter from Rev Wheeler and said Cowdrey had been doing odd jobs around the church since August.

He said: "Why did he commit these offences? He is not a young man with a drug or a drink problem.

"What he tells me is that this was too much of a temptation. He was at the time out of work. He developed a pattern of offences."

The court heard how Mrs Wheeler did not want to prosecute Cowdrey, as she was afraid it would jeopardise his chances of joining the marines.

Magistrates ruled to defer sentencing for six months.

The chair of the bench said this would give Cowdrey the chance to make full reparations to the church.