Guernsey Press

Honesty and remorse save church desecrator from jail

A MAN who caused thousands of pounds-worth of damage at the Vale Church four years ago has escaped a prison sentence – because of his honesty.

Published

A MAN who caused thousands of pounds-worth of damage at the Vale Church four years ago has escaped a prison sentence – because of his honesty.

Consumed with guilt, Karl Miller, handed himself in to police.

In the Magistrate's Court, Miller, 22, admitted that he, together with unnamed others, caused almost £7,000-worth of damage to the church in January 2006.

Miller was finally caught when DNA taken from beer cans and cigarettes ends left at the scene matched a sample he gave when he was arrested in connection with something else last year.

Advocate David Domaille said that Miller, of room 7, 15, George Street, St Peter Port, had saved for many months to pay compensation and apologised sincerely to the court and the church.

Judge Philip Robey noted that the defendant had made full admissions in a case that would otherwise have been very difficult to prove.

He said that but for Miller's honesty and remorse he would have jailed him for nine months. But as a direct alternative he imposed 150 hours' community service order and ordered the defendant to pay £2,000 compensation – the most the Magistrate's Court can award.

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