Man stole artefacts from Welsh church
Wednesday 7th July 2010, 8:59PM BST.
An assortment of religious artefacts were stolen from a village’s parish church in Mid Wales by a 23-year-old Welshpool man, a court has been told.
Bernard Alistair Trewin took a large cross, brass candlesticks, a brass prayerbook stand and a donations box from Meifod Church on March 30, Welshpool magistrates heard yesterday.
Trewin, of Salop Road, Welshpool, admitted entering the church as a trespasser and stealing 19th century church relics, and was given a 12-month community order, including 12 months supervision and the offender substance abuse programme. He was also ordered to pay costs of £85.
Mr Stephen Davies, prosecuting, told the court a church helper unlocked the church door at about 7.30am on March 30 when everything appeared in order.
Two hours later a Meifod resident had answered her door to find Trewin asking for her neighbour. She noticed he had a bag at his feet with what she thought was a cross poking out.
At 10.30am another church helper went to the church to prepare for a service and found the door wide open with leaflets strewn over the floor and the donations box missing. He contacted the vicar who found other items missing too.
The following day police received information about a refuse bag and found it contained the church relics. Tests linked them to Trewin who was arrested. Trewin claimed he had found the items in the bag but didn’t want to take them back to the church in case he was accused of stealing them.
He said he had been going to hand them in. Mr Robert Hanratty, for Trewin, said he had taken an amount of prescribed medication that day. The day after he had been trying to figure out a way of returning the items.
UK News
Most Commented
- Clampdown on Shrewsbury chuggers
- Bishop's gay marriage views do nothing to support bible teachings
- Planners ordered to stay on Newport visit bus
- Letter: Angered by close encounter of the furred kind
- Letter: Alcohol price plans annoy me
- Shrewsbury’s broadband speed one of slowest in UK
- Letter: No sense in overseas job adverts
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
