Addict walks free from church theft

A heroin addict has been given a suspended prison sentence for stealing from a Black Country church.

Victoria Lunnon stole a civic chain and two crucifixes, from Holy Trinity Church, Amblecote, Stourbridge, while looking for items to sell for scrap, magistrates were told. She pleaded guilty to one charge of theft.

The 25-year-old of Gibbs House, Gibbs Road, Lye, carried out the crime with Scott Pooler, who has already been sentenced to six months in prison.

They were looking for metal to sell to fund their drug habits, said Mr Philip Skilbeck, prosecuting.

Lunnon was given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, at Dudley Magistrates Court yesterday.

She was also given a 12-month supervision order and put on a six-month drug rehabilitation programme.

Chairman of the bench Mr Gordon Pomford said: "To steal these items from a church – items so special and important to the community – and taking into account the unpleasant and sacrilegious nature of the offence, must warrant a prison sentence."

Lunnon and her friend Pooler went around scrap yards in the Stourbridge area trying to sell the crucifixes which had been cut up and put in a plastic bag, pocketing just £15 for the metal.

The civic chain was handed back to the church after it was found dumped in a roadside drain in Lye.

Pooler, aged 34, also of Gibbs House, was jailed on July 30 for the thefts.

Holy Trinity Church had released CCTV pictures to the Express & Star of people who they hoped would help in the search for the stolen items.

Speaking after the case, Lunnon said: "I'm really sorry for what I've done but I never intended for it to turn out like this.

"We went into the church to pretend to be homeless but the vicar wasn't there, so this happened."