A man’s spree of burglaries targeting churches across south Wales came to an end after he left behind valuable evidence at the crime scenes. Raymond Weatherley, the perpetrator, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for his string of thefts. Newport Crown Court heard that Weatherley had committed almost 90 burglaries, including 47 previous ones, and was on licence following a prior burglary conviction when he carried out a six-month long series of break-ins. The court was informed that Weatherley broke into seven churches between June and November, stealing electrical items such as iPads, projectors, and sound systems, which he then sold or pawned. In addition to the stolen goods, he caused significant damage to the churches he targeted by smashing windows, including stained glass windows.
Hywel Davies, the prosecutor, detailed Weatherley’s method of operation, which involved breaking into churches and conducting untidy searches, including stealing cash from collection boxes. The court heard that Weatherley would then sell the stolen items, often frequenting Cex shops in south Wales. Incriminating evidence linking Weatherley to the crimes included his Cex loyalty card found at one of the burglary scenes, DNA recovered from a discarded cigarette, and CCTV footage placing him at the locations of some of the incidents. Weatherley was arrested after being spotted by an officer, following which he confessed to his activities, leading to the recovery of stolen goods and his subsequent prosecution.
In court, it was revealed that Weatherley, aged 48, not only admitted to the seven counts of non-dwelling burglary but also requested for another 32 similar offences to be considered. The additional crimes, committed in a similar manner to the ones he confessed to, targeted churches across south Wales, including well-known places of worship like St Mark’s in Newport and St Catherine’s in Cardiff. Weatherley’s defence highlighted his history of committing offences to support his substance misuse and noted his constructive behaviour while in custody awaiting sentencing. His desire to return to the catering industry upon release was also mentioned.
The presiding Judge Carl Harrison acknowledged Weatherley’s deliberate and repetitive targeting of churches in a burglary campaign, emphasizing that these actions occurred while he was under prison-release and post-release licence conditions. Weatherley received a reduced sentence of three years and two months due to his guilty pleas, with the possibility of being released on licence after serving half of the term. The court decision highlighted the seriousness of Weatherley’s crimes, both in terms of the financial losses incurred by the churches and the disruption caused to the communities affected by his actions.
The case of Raymond Weatherley serves as a cautionary tale of the impact of repeat burglary offences on religious institutions and the wider society. The meticulous investigation that led to his arrest and subsequent prosecution underscores the importance of thorough police work in bringing perpetrators to justice. Weatherley’s sentencing reflects the severity of his crimes and aims to deter others from engaging in similar criminal behaviour. As communities recover from the damage caused by Weatherley’s actions, the focus shifts to rebuilding and reinforcing the security of vulnerable establishments to prevent such incidents in the future.