BY Ian Dunn | April 26 | 1 COMMENT print
Pitlochry priest’s prompt action prevents theft
A quick-thinking priest in Pitlochry trapped a suspected thief in his church after he spotted the man trying to raid collection boxes, a court in Perth heard today.
Fr Tobias Okoro spotted Joseph Grant acting suspiciously in St Brides Church (above) in Pitlochry on March 21 and immediately locked the doors, trapping the man inside his church.
Mr Grant was today sentenced to five months in prison at Perth Sheriff Court after he admitted being found in St Brides in circumstances that suggested he was trying to commit theft.
Mr Grant, 50, who has previous convictions for dishonesty, was still locked inside the church when officers from Tayside Police arrived at the scene. When questioned by officers, he initially claimed he had gone into the church to use the toilet.
He was on his way home from a trip to Edinburgh for cancer treatment when he entered St Brides. The court heard the unemployed man was on bail at the time.
Mr Grant appears to have some kind of personality disorder, is unemployed, and is being treated for cancer. He is now in prison, and you seem to think that’s OK!