Peterlee church burglar’s sentence slashed

Dec 11 2011 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

A CAREER criminal with a penchant for stealing from churches has successfully had his prison term slashed after appealing against his sentence.

Christopher Coulthard, originally from Peterlee, County Durham, was jailed for nine years in January last year after admitting to three Worcestershire church burglaries at Worcester Crown Court.

And although he’s already done time after admitting more than 500 similar offences committed over many years, Coulthard has had his prison sentence cut by appeal judges.

The 49-year-old has now had his jail time slashed by a third, to six years by three senior judges.

Lord Justice Laws said the offences were seriously aggravated by his choice of victims – but that the nine-year term was simply too long.

Coulthard was caught out after three offences in Worcestershire during the summer and early autumn of 2009, during which he stole hundreds of pounds from church safes.

When arrested at a hotel where he had been staying in Pershore, he was found to have £363 in coins and £75 in notes.

He initially made no comment, but ultimately admitted his crimes.

The appeal judge said Coulthard had a “spectacular” record for crime, with convictions for 101 offences, mostly burglary and theft, and had spent about 30 of his 49 years in prison.

When previously before a court in Swansea in 2003, he had asked for a further 502 crimes at churches and chapels to be taken into consideration, the judge said.