Funeral worker avoided jail after stealing priest's ring

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 17 Oct, 00:57 · Archive

A funeral home employee stole an 18-carat gold priesthood ring from a dead priest's body and sold it to fund his drug habit.

Nicholas Mather, 34, stole an 18-carat gold priesthood ring from the body of Father Peter Crowther at B Livesey Funeral Directors in Chorley, Lancashire on 8 March. Fr Crowther's parents had purchased the ring in Rome for his 1971 ordination. The ring was inscribed with Latin text reading 'Tu Es Sac Erdos In Aeternum', meaning 'I am a priest for ever'. Fr Crowther had expressed a dying wish to be buried wearing it.

Mather sold the ring, valued at between £3,000 and £3,500, to a pawnbroker, where it was subsequently melted down and rendered unrecoverable. An internal investigation by the funeral directors also established that he had stolen a Rolls-Royce key box ring from the firm. He was paid a total of £1,370 in cash for both stolen items and spent the money on a drug habit. The theft occurred four days after Mather submitted his resignation, which followed several weeks of colleague concerns regarding his conduct.

B Livesey Funeral Directors reported the theft to Lancashire Constabulary and Mather was arrested on 22 April. He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft at Preston Magistrates' Court on Friday. The magistrates described it as the worst theft case they had heard in their court given the emotional impact on those affected. Mather was given a community order, ordered to complete 300 hours unpaid work, and to pay £6,500 in compensation, avoiding a prison sentence.

How it is being reported

• 'Despicable’ thief who stole gold ring from dead priest’s hand avoids jailAn "utterly despicable" thief who stole a gold ring from a dead priest’s hand has avoided jail. Nicholas Mather, 34, removed the 18-carat gold priesthood ring from the finger of the late Father Peter Crowther. Fr Crowther’s parents had bought the ring in Rome when he was ordained in 1971, and it was inscribed in Latin, "Tu Es Sac Erdos In Aeternum", meaning "I am a priest forever". His dying wish was to be buried with it. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Mather, who worked at B Livesey Funeral Directors in Chorley, Lancashire, stole the ring from Fr Crowther’s body on March 8 and sold it to…GB News · 17 Oct, 00:45
• Funeral firm employee stole ring from dead priest’s hand and sold it to fund drug habitNicholas Mather, 34, prised the 18-carat gold priesthood ring from the finger of the late Father Peter CrowtherThe Independent · 16 Oct, 19:12

In this story: Nicholas Mather · Father Peter Crowther · B Livesey Funeral Directors · Chorley · Lancashire · Preston Magistrates' Court

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