A YOUNG man who stole lead from the roof of Huddersfield Grammar School narrowly escaped jail yesterday.
Thomas Guinan, 21, of Clough Lane, Brighouse, pleaded guilty at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court to stealing the lead in company with others on April 10.
Given the major problem in recent years of thieves stealing lead from churches and schools the offence is now treated much more seriously.
Vanessa Schofield, prosecuting, said the school had experienced difficulties with lead thefts in recent months and the caretaker noticed lead had been stolen.
The police were contacted and CCTV images checked. A witness said he had seen a person at a red Vauxhall Astra putting lead into the car.
Police contacted local scrap dealers and one of them made a statement saying a man arrived in a red Vauxhall Astra and sold lead for which he had been given a cheque.
Ms Schofield said: “He must have been aware that police were interested in speaking to him because he handed himself in to Huddersfield Police Station.’’
In mitigation, Hajra Khan, said: “The lead has been recovered, there were others involved, it was not just my client and there was intimidation to get him to take part in this crime.
“He had a debt of £140 and was being pestered for it.
“Of course this is a serious offence and Mr Guinan is aware of that.
“This is his first conviction and he has lost his good character and that’s something that upsets him deeply.”
Chairman of the bench, Wayne Perriman, said: “You must have realised from the comments this morning that within the legal system now lead thefts are considered to be very, very serious.
“You have stolen lead from a listed building, a grammar school, which has an impact on the community.
“We were considering sending you to prison today because we regard it as that serious.”
However, he said the bench had decided to impose a community order for 12 months with three conditions.
These included undertaking 150 hours of unpaid work on behalf of the community, and an activity requirement with supervision for 15 days.
In addition he would be fitted with an electronic tag and would be subject to a curfew from 7pm to 7am for seven days a week over a period of four months.
He was also ordered to pay £750 compensation and a victim surcharge of £60 payable at £5 per week.
Although, the defendant has joinery experience as well as dry stone walling, he is currently receiving Job Seekers Allowance.
Afterwards, the school’s headmaster, Tim Hoyle, said: “We have had professional roofers in to repair the damage.”
