Vandals cause £10k of damage in attack on Carmarthen's St Peter's Church
VANDALS desecrated graves before using the broken headstones to smash a 149-year-old window in an attack described as "the worst yet" at Carmarthen's St Peter's Church.
Up to £10,000 worth of damage is estimated to have been caused in the late night attack — sparking fresh calls for tighter security measures from its vicar, the Rev Leigh Richardson.
He said the attack on the large north window was particularly devastating for the congregation, which is trying to raise funds to secure its future and become more integrated in the community with events and exhibitions.
"This is a kick in the teeth for us and our congregation," he said.
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"The window is inscribed with the date 1863 and will need to be specially worked upon.
"Two panes were smashed — a lower one and one above it.
"It looks like whoever did it has smashed a burial stone from the front of the church and used bits of it to throw at the window.
"I would say they were trying to break in as the wire mesh covering the window has been bent upwards.
"That suggests that they were looking for a way into the church.
"Also the desecration of graves is awful and there's one section of society responsible for it."
A member of the congregation reportedly heard and saw two culprits fleeing the churchyard at around 9pm.
An outside floodlight has also had grave masonry thrown through it, and a vestry window smashed — mounting up the repair costs to the church, which belongs to the diocese of St David's.
Rev Richardson said it was the worst attack on the church he had seen.
He added: "We have had ongoing anti-social behaviour here over recent months but nothing on this scale.
"We had the cockerel weather vane stolen two years ago but eventually that was returned.
"We just feel it's one thing after another here, while all the time we are trying to raise funds for the church."
Reverend Richardson said he is calling on town police to increase its patrols around the far end of King Street around the church.
Attack
"There is CCTV at the top end of King Street, but nothing down our end of the street.
"It's the same on the Spilman Street side of the church, there is no CCTV coverage.
"I want the police to look at this and to get cameras, the church needs them."
Inspector Steve Lee at Carmarthen's Friars Park police station, speaking about tightening security measures around the church, said: "The CCTV can be moved around that area and covers the St Peter's car park and church when manned.
"However, at the time of this attack it was not manned.
"Officer patrols are regular in the area and at weekends there is the town Nightlight scheme with its volunteers in the area."
He added it was unfortunate the incident was a midweek one when CCTV was not manned but said officers were investigating the incident.
Comments
by Kia1972
Thursday, August 30 2012, 12:54AM
“This is a truly terrible crime, and I sincerely hope that those responsible are caught, it is them and them alone who should pay for the damage they have caused.
What really does concern me is the fact that the policeman that was interviewed has admitted the CCTV is only manned at weekends. This was a front page article in the Journal, he has therefore announced this to most of Carmarthen!!”
by Maldo
Friday, August 24 2012, 4:04PM
“To say I was shocked on reading about this mindless attack on one of Carmarthen's most historic churches would be the understatement of the century. How anyone with a brain containing more than half a cell can even contemplate attacking a place of worship is beyond my comprehension. No-one of my generation would even let an idea so evil as this, cross our minds, as we were frightened of the consequences. The lack of a police presence in the town is also a contributing factor, as one of their responsibilities is the protection of property. How can you protect property when the police aren't present. The police in their wisdom have decided it's not appropriate to have police on the beat in the evening, what? Are they afraid of the dark.
Unless the powers to be decide that enough is enough and clamp down on such anti social, anti Christian behaviour, things will get worse. We had more trouble in town on Saturday night with the police having to close several public houses and even some of the streets, due to fighting and drunkenness. Civilisation in Carmarthen seems to have engaged reverse gear with criminal occurrences approaching the scenes witnessed in Carmarthen in the last century, during general elections and during the Rebecca riots. Please someone do something about it.”
by Maldo
Friday, August 24 2012, 3:49PM
“To say that I'm shocked by this mindless, evil attack on one of Carmarthen's most historic churches would be the understatement of the century. How anyone with more than a single celled brain can even contemplate attacking a place of worship is beyond the realms of human understanding. No-one of my generation, brought up through Christian teachings or not, would even let the idea cross his or her mind, knowing of the wrath that would visit him on leaving this earth. Sadly we live in a different world where parenthood is hardly practiced and children are allowed free reign supported by love compensation, generous pocket money. Another contributing factor is the lack of police presence on the streets of our town. Part of the duties of a police service is the protection of property, but how can you protect property when the police aren't present in the first place? There is no police presence in Carmarthen in the evening, if there is it is a rare sight indeed. There was more trouble in town on the weekend when a number of public houses were closed early and some streets closed, due to fighting and drunkenness.
Carmarthen has an enviable history and although similar occurrences of vandalism and drunkenness were recorded in the nineteenth century civilisation has today engaged reverse gear and unless the powers that be, address these problems in the town, worse is ahead of us.”
by fenella
Wednesday, August 22 2012, 6:14PM
“"The Church in Wales is not exactly skint. It is an extremely wealthy organisation and can certainly afford a few cameras and recording equipment." Evidence?”
by Neathboy234
Wednesday, August 22 2012, 5:46PM
“Putting up more CCTV is not the answer, we have more of them in the UK than just about the rest of the world put together. I think it's quite sad that some think our problems can be solved in this way.”
by Dai_Chotomy
Wednesday, August 22 2012, 5:35PM
“"It's the same on the Spilman Street side of the church, there is no CCTV coverage.
I want the police to look at this and to get cameras, the church needs them".
If the church needs them then the church can pay for them. The Church in Wales is not exactly skint. It is an extremely wealthy organisation and can certainly afford a few cameras and recording equipment even if this particular building cannot.”
by fenella
Wednesday, August 22 2012, 2:33PM
“Unfortunately for the Revd Richardson and the people of St Peter's, it's a listed building, and they have no choice but to maintain it to the required standard. The church members could not sell it if they wanted to - who'd want to buy it? And imagine the outcry from the (mainly non-church-going) people of Carmarthen if it was not maintained. It is the sacrificial giving of the church members that keeps the church and its grounds tidy for the general public to walk through, drive round, get married in and have their funerals in. You and I can stuff a handful of rags in our broken window and live with it. They can't.”
by Neathboy234
Wednesday, August 22 2012, 1:15PM
“I thought the Queen was head of the church of England, of which the church in wales is an offshoot . I know for a fact the Queen is loaded, some of her money coming from old Henry 8th who stole a load of cash off the church. In some ways it would only be fair if the Queen helped out, in her defense she could say it's nothing to do with her as she'd not descended from old henry”
by dizzycoolbabe
Wednesday, August 22 2012, 1:02PM
“Philosoraptor - the Vatican is a Roman Catholic church - St Peter's Carmarthen is Anglican (Church in Wales) and has NOTHING to do with the Pope (who is head of the RC Church globally). The Archbishop of Canterbury (Rowan Williams, at present) is head of the Anglican church globally. The Church of England church (as the name suggests) was formed in England by Henry VIII when the then Pope refused to grant him a divorce from his first wife - Katherine of Aragon (in the 1500s). The Roman Catholic Church is a much older denomination - I think probably founded by Emperor Constantine (not 100% sure about that, but it was during the time of the Romans).”
by Philosoraptor
Wednesday, August 22 2012, 11:41AM
“Meh... the Vatican is absolutely loaded with cash, it can afford to build a new church let alone repair damage on this one.”