Funeral firm employee stole ring from dead priest’s hand and sold it to fund drug habit

Funeral firm employee stole ring from dead priest’s hand and sold it to fund drug habit Nicholas Mather, 34, prised the 18-carat gold priesthood ring from the finger of the late Father Peter Crowther - Bookmark Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in A funeral firm employee described as "utterly despicable" after stealing an 18-carat gold ring from a deceased priest's finger has avoided a prison sentence. Nicholas Mather, 34, took the priesthood ring from the body of Father Peter Crowther while working at B Livesey Funeral Directors in Chorley, Lancashire. The late priest had been given the ring by his parents, who purchased it in Rome for his 1971 ordination. It featured the Latin inscription "Tu Es Sac Erdos In Aeternum", translating to "I am a priest for ever", and Fr Crowther had expressed a dying wish to be buried wearing it. Mather took the ring on March 8 and sold it to a pawnbrokers. The item, valued at between £3,000 and £3,500, was subsequently melted down and rendered unrecoverable. The crime occurred four days after Mather submitted his resignation following several weeks of colleague concerns regarding his conduct. An internal investigation by the funeral directors subsequently established that he had also stolen a Rolls-Royce key box ring from the firm. He 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 Lancashire Constabulary and Mather was arrested on April 22. Mather, of Willow Close, Chorley, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft. He avoided a prison sentence at Preston Magistrates’ Court on Friday and was given a community order, ordered to complete 300 hours unpaid work, and to pay a total of £6,500 compensation. Magistrates said this was the worst theft case they had heard in their court given the emotional impact on those affected. In an impact statement to the court, Fr Crowther’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. “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. “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.” 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. “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.” Detective Constable Paul Whitaker of Lancashire Constabulary said: “Not only did he steal a ring from the body of a priest, but he denied Fr Peter his dying wish. “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.”