A MAN has appeared in court for stealing more than £4,000 worth of items from a church on his birthday.
Richard Johnson appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Wednesday, (October 12), having previously admitted burglary.
The court heard the 44-year-old went to Upton Baptist Church on February 2, 2020 - his birthday - and stole electrical and food items worth more than £4,500.
Judge James Burbidge KC asked why the case had been sent to the higher crown court for sentence.
Prosecutor Olivia Appleby said the crown prosecution service considered the offence so serious Johnson, who had 13 previous convictions, was facing more than a year in jail, outside of magistrates sentencing powers.
His barrister Steven Burnell asked for an adjournment of the case as a pre-sentence report had not been completed.
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Johnson, of Oystermouth Road, Swansea, was told he would need to attend his sentencing on November 2.
Judge James Burbidge KC said he was reluctantly adjourning the case for the report.
He said Johnson would know the process as "you have experience of the criminal justice system - almost as much as I have".
"It is a shame to admit," Johnson replied.
"Change your attitude," the judge said.
The judge added the adjournment was no promise that he will avoid custody as stealing from a church was a serious matter.
The food was stolen from the community fridge scheme based in the chapel of the church.
Residents are invited to put in any surplus quality food they have which would otherwise be wasted.
After the break-in Reverend Amy Wearing, minister at the church in Old Road, Upton-Upon-Severn, told us: "It's not the nicest thing to have happened but what I've seen after the break-in is a community coming together.
"I've had offers from people wanting to give me items or loan them to the church."
Town councillor Andrea Morgan also said at the time: "I'm saddened to learn of the break-in.
"The church and the community fridge do such a fantastic job.
"The amount of food they prevent being wasted is unbelievable."
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