Jailed: Addict smashed 16th century Shrewsbury church windows
A heroin addict "violated" one of Shrewsbury's most prominent churches by smashing its 16th century stained glass windows, causing £12,000 damage.
Serial offender Paul McGarry, 41, was jailed this week after breaking into the church and stealing charity tins and till floats in June last year.
McGarry was also sentenced for fraudulently buying cigarettes and alcohol from shops in Wem in January this year after getting his hands on someone else's card.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that McGarry, considered by police as one of the town's most "prolific and high risk" offenders, has consistently targeted charitable organisations.
He smashed his way into the church at some point between June 8 and 11, disregarding the historic beauty of the stunning glass of German origin. A volunteer found the mess when he went in to clean, and also discovered the tins and cash missing.
Prosecutor Suzanne Francis said the glass was 16th century and was installed at the Shrewsbury church in the 1800s.
Deliberately
She added: "This defendant deliberately targets charity shops and churches. He has 35 convictions for 70 offences. He has been offending since the age of 16.
McGarry, of Clifford Road, Market Drayton, admitted one charge of burglary and six of fraud.
Kevin Jones, defending McGarry, accepted McGarry's offending passed the custody threshold but asked recorder Gregory Pryce to give him a chance to "break the cycle" of his criminality.
Mr Pryce said that it should not be lost on McGarry the financial damage he caused, but also the "sentimental and emotional" loss he caused to parishioners.
"This should be treated as a serious offence of non-dwelling burglary," he said.
"You violated that church. I do believe that the appropriate sentence is one of custody. It is what the public would expect. The damage you have done is absolutely enormous."
He jailed McGarry for 16 months. No compensation order was made.
