Burglar Banned from Churches in England over Repeated Offenses: A man in Oxfordshire who systematically targeted places of worship in three counties has been banned by a judge from entering any church in England unless he has written permission.
Judge Ian Pringle, who is presiding over the case at Oxford Crown Court, sentenced Christopher Coulthard to a term of three years and four months in prison after he was arrested last month for stealing from the village church’s collection box.
Coulthard was arrested after a member of the public recognized him as the man caught on CCTV stealing from the village church’s collection in June. The 61-year-old offender had also targeted a Catholic school and had stolen a purse during the Covid lockdown, premier reports.
Presiding over the case, Judge Pringle said: “It’s a repeat of offending which you know you’ve done in the past and you know what the outcome is going to be.” I can’t really be tied by the guidelines; such is the proliferation of offending you repeatedly commit.”
During his court appearance on Friday, Coulthard acknowledged his guilt in regard to one church burglary and the possession of stolen money. However, he denied carrying burglary tools in Radley in August and pleaded not guilty on the charge of possessing Tramadol, an opioid painkiller that is classified as a C substance.
Coulthard’s attorney, Gareth James, emphasized that Coulthard had battled a tramadol addiction for a number of years and asked that he be given consideration for a drug rehabilitation program. He added that the desire to finance his drug habit was what motivated his thefts.
The judge rejected the request, saying: “Such is the nature of the offending that he’s pleaded guilty to—and his record—that there is only one possible solution in this case, and that is immediate custody.”
Coulthard was also given a criminal behavior that forbids him from visiting any place of worship without express written permission from a qualified individual, such as a minister or churchwarden.