News Teenager stole lead from church roof and sold it for cash
A young Doncaster man this week single-handedly took the blame for stealing a quantity of lead from St Laurence's Priory Church in Snaith after refusing to name his partner in crime.
Gary Bragg (19), of Micklethwaite Grove in Moorends, pleaded guilty to stealing a quantity of lead and selling it on, when he appeared before Goole Magistrates' Court on Tuesday morning.
Mrs Julie Laverack Glanville, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court that the theft took place shortly after 12.15am on June 13, when Mr Bragg entered the church's graveyard with another person, whom he refuses to name.
Mr Bragg climbed onto the roof of the church's east wing and removed an amount of lead, dropping it onto the ground before climbing off the roof and loading the sheets of lead into the back of a silver vehicle.
The lead sheets were later taken to a scrap metal merchant, the name of which Mr Bragg has also refused to disclose, and they were sold for a total of £360.
Mrs Laverack Glanville added that bad weather was experienced following the theft, and the Priory Church sprung a leak as a result, which is said to have damaged the church organ.
When Mr Bragg was interviewed by police on September 13, he admitted stealing four sheets of lead, weighing around 90kg each, and selling them on later that day. Mr Bragg also said that he split the £360 he made from the lead between in half, and gave £180 to his partner in crime, who was driving the silver getaway vehicle.
The court heard that a claim for compensation had been made by the church, and the canon there had said that more than £5,000 worth of lead had been stolen from the roof on the night in question.
Mrs Laverack Glanville said: "This was a desecration of property belonging to a church, and Mr Bragg will have to live with this.
"As he refuses to name the other person involved, Mr Bragg should have to stand to the full amount of compensation."
Defending, Mr James Grey said that Mr Bragg had no previous convictions and was therefore "thoroughly ashamed" of himself as this crime will lead to the loss of his previous good character.
Magistrates told Mr Bragg that he would have to complete 100 hours unpaid work as part of a community order, and would be ordered to pay £360 in compensation to the Priory Church in Snaith. He was also ordered to pay £55 towards court costs.
Published on 20th September 2007 in News.
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