Man who burgled churches jailed

Christopher Coulthard, 61, of Keenan Drive, Bedworth, was sentenced to three years and four months’ imprisonment at Oxford Crown Court on Friday (22 September), after he was convicted of five burglaries, one theft and one count of possession of criminal property.

Four of his convictions relate to offences in Surrey committed earlier this year, including the burglary of churches in Egham, Tadworth and Oxted, whereby money was stolen from safes and donation tins. In a further case, Coulthard stole £150 from a teacher’s purse after he entered a primary school in Guildford during half-term in April.

The court heard how CCTV, witness and forensic evidence had tied Coulthard to the burglaries carried out across Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent and Oxfordshire.

As well as his jail term, Coulthard was also handed a life-time Criminal Behaviour Order, which prevents him from entering any religious establishment within England and Wales.

Police Constable Lee Newman, from Tandridge Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “Coulthard would repeatedly take money, often donated in good faith to charitable causes, for his own selfish gain.

"I am pleased that, as a result of the tenacity and hard work by a number of police forces, he is now behind bars and has been held to account for his appalling behaviour.”