Zane Grierson stole lead from St John's Church in Margate

by Paul Hooper

Repentant Zane Grierson is expected to be in a Thanet church this morning to seek repentance... for stealing lead from its roof.

The 20-year-old thief swiped three-quarters of a ton of lead from St John's Church, in Margate – leaving its congregation with a bill of up to £20,000.

Now jobless Grierson has promised its vicar, the Rev Brian Sharp, he will attend services today and meet some of its angry parishioners.

He was nabbed when he sold the lead, taken in two trips in November last year for scrap.

Rev Sharp (pictured right) sat in the public gallery at Canterbury Crown Court as a judge heard how Grierson broke one of the Ten Commandments - thou shalt not steal.

On his first trip on November 12, he took between six to nine metres from the roof – then returned 12 days later and took another 12 square metres.

Rev Sharp revealed he discovered rainwater pouring into the church – destroying the building's walls and a new electrical lighting system – leaving the church with a £14,000 repair bill.

But the court heard the vicar believes the total is expected to top £20,000.

He wrote in his victim impact statement the raids had resulted in "anger, disappointment, despair and moral outrage" within the local community - from believers and non-believers alike.

Police were called and started contacting local metal companies, including Invicta Metals, and discovered Grierson had sold them lead seven days after the theft claiming it had come from an old house.

The thief, of Norfolk Road, Margate, pocketed £455 from the sale. He was later quizzed by detetctives and confessed: "I am not going to lie to you... the lead came from the church."

Prosecutor Andrew Forsyth said Grierson claimed he thought he had only received £220, "but couldn't remember the exact amount".

The youngster – who had no previous convictions - also admitted he was "shocked" by the amount of damage that had been caused and added he was sorry.

Zane Grierson was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court

John O'Higgins, defending, said stealing lead from churches was a prevalent offence and Grierson said he had met up with friends and "a suggestion made to him".

"He was swept along with them and did it twice, which is something he bitterly regrets. But his regret is not just that he was caught because he felt uneasy about it at the time.

"He knows it is criminally wrong, but he also knows that it is morally wrong."

Grierson, who receives £220 a month in benefits, said he now wanted to apologise, not only to Rev Sharp but to the congregation – and has written a "very brief letter of apology".

Judge Heather Norton (pictured right) said many in the community will suffer because of his thefts, adding: "And it will seem to some of them that the person who suffers least is you.

"What you did will affect the community. They may in time forgive you but that doesn't excuse what you did.

"If you were a little bit older or had previous convictions, I would without pausing for a heartbeat send you inside because what you did was horrible."

She ordered Grierson to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work after hearing he would like to do some of it for the benefit of the church.

She added: "That may seem like a lenient sentence - it does to me. But at least you have the opportunity to give back to the community."

Rev Sharp spoke to Grierson after the hearing and invited him to attend Easter Sunday services.

He said later: "Do I forgive him? Forgiveness depends on contrition and repentance. There needs to be some demonstration and I would have been happier had this young man been prepared – and I understand it is a difficult situation – to share with the investigating officers who were also there."