Church plate thief jailed

Jun 26 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A HEARTLESS Blairgowrie man who stole hundreds of pounds from a local church to help fund his drug habit was jailed for four months at Perth Sheriff Court this week, writes Les Stewart.

The court was told that 25-year-old Andrew Brown, known locally as ‘Pandy,’ had gone to Rattray Parish Church to ask the minister for money to buy food.

But while he was involved in a baptismal service, Brown helped himself to envelopes containing £296.40 in cheques and money from the vestry.

The donations had come from members of the congregation.

He then forced open a charity box containing further cash.

But he was seen in the area at the time by customers of a nearby pub and the police were alerted.

Officers followed a trail of envelopes and coins to a local park, where Brown was arrested.

Depute fiscal Therese Oswald said: “The accused admitted his involvement in the offence and led them to where there were other brown envelopes.

When interviewed later the same day, the accused told them he had already spent some of the money on valium and heroin.

A total of £296.40 was taken, of which £180 was recovered.

Brown said people were singing in the church when he took the cash on January 11 this year.

Solicitor David Holmes said the accused, who suffers from epilepsy, had immediately accepted responsibility for the offence.

“He feels ashamed of his behaviour,” added the agent.

“He had gone to the church with the intention of asking for money for food. When nobody was there he just decided to take it.”

Brown had his sentence deferred earlier to allow a Drug Treatment and Testing report to be obtained.

That report was before the court on March 11 – but he failed to turn up and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Previously living in Ashgrove Gardens, Blairgowrie, he was now of no fixed abode and had handed himself in to police in Arbroath.

“He is frightened about the prospect of being sentenced to custody because persons there are not particularly well disposed to him,” added Mr Holmes.

Imposing the jail term, Sheriff William Gilchrist said: “I have no illusions about what imprisonment will achieve but, if anything else, it may give you an opportunity to come off drugs, although I am conscious that drugs are sometimes available in prison as well.”