A funeral home worker has avoided jail for stealing a gold ring off a dead priest's hand, despite the victim's dying wish to be buried with it. Nicholas Mather, 34, took the ring from Father Peter Crowther's body while handling it at B Livesey Funeral Directors in Chorley, Lancashire, on March 8.
Father Crowther was presented with the 18-carat gold priesthood ring by his parents in 1971 in Rome, Italy, when he was ordained a Catholic priest. Preston Magistrates' Court heard it was inscribed in Latin, "Tu Es Sac Erdos In Aeternum", meaning "I am a priest forever", and Father Crowther's dying wish was to be buried with it.
Theft and Investigation
Lancashire Police confirmed the ring, worth up to £3,500, was later melted down and never recovered. The theft took place four days after Mather handed in his notice, following colleagues' concerns about his previous conduct.
The force said: "An investigation was launched by the funeral directors, and it was also found that Mather had stolen a Rolls Royce key box ring from the firm. Mather was paid a total of £1,370 cash for both stolen items and spent it on a drug habit. B Livesey Funeral Directors reported the ring theft to us and Mather was arrested on April 22nd."
Court Outcome
Mather initially denied the thefts but eventually admitted he was responsible and pleaded guilty to theft from the person of another and theft by an employee. Last Friday, Mather, of Chorley, was given a high-level community order, ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work, and pay a total of £6,500 in compensation.
Magistrates said this was the worst theft case they had heard in their court given the emotional impact of all those affected. In an impact statement to the court, Father Peter's next of kin Kinga Gray-Grzecynska said: "I feel deeply upset, angry and bewildered that anyone, particularly a member of staff entrusted with the care of the deceased, would steal from a dead body in a mortuary, and especially from a priest.
"This behaviour is utterly despicable, disgraceful and morally wrong. The theft was clearly premeditated and demonstrates a complete lack of compassion, respect and remorse, not only towards the deceased but also towards his family, friends, colleagues and all those affected by his actions.
"To steal from a Catholic priest who dedicated 55 years of his life to serving God and helping thousands of people is an appalling betrayal of the trust placed in those responsible for providing a dignified and respectful funeral. It undermines confidence and trust in those professionals, for the care of the dead, at a time when relatives and friends are at their most vulnerable and bereaved."
She added: "Nick Mather has taken advantage of someone who could not protect himself, believing he would not be discovered. I feel that I have let Fr Peter down because I was responsible for ensuring his wishes were carried out, and I have been unable to ensure that he was buried with his priestly ring as he intended. What has happened has caused significant upset to me, many priests and others who knew him. Fr Peter did not deserve such a betrayal."
Reaction from Funeral Director and Police
Michael Livesey, company director of B Livesey Funeral Directors, said: "In my many years in this profession, I have never ever experienced anything like this. It has been deeply upsetting for myself and the rest of the team.
"The most difficult part for me is that the rings hold such a sentimental value and can’t be replaced. No monetary value can compensate the heartache caused to those involved. I am deeply concerned that this will be damaging to the company because of the actions of one individual. However, I hope people will recognise that I reported the matter to the police immediately and I have fully supported their investigation from the outset and throughout."
Det Con Paul Whitaker, of Lancashire Police, said: "Nicholas Mather’s actions represent one of the most serious breaches of trust possible and it’s clear from the statements you have just read the impact this can have on the wider community. Not only did he steal a ring from the body of a priest, but he denied Fr Peter his dying wish.
"When we lose a loved one, we put our complete faith in funeral professionals as trusted pillars of the community. We turn to them when we are at our most vulnerable and we rightly expect that we are treated with honesty and compassion. Mather breached the trust of those who turned to them whilst they were grieving. I hope the court result brings some kind of closure for those who knew him."
