A person has been charged following a police investigation into the vandalism of churches in Leyland, near Preston, over Easter.
There were reports on 18 April of obscene graffiti being daubed on St James Church and quite a lot of its headstones. Then on 27 April, a window was smashed at St Mary’s Church.
Joseph Williams, 30, has been arrested and charged in reference to the vandalism and was attributable to appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning.
He was charged with 10 criminal damage offences, including two counts of religiously aggravated criminal damage in relation to the damage to St James and St Mary’s Churches. The other charges relate to alleged vandalism of local property not connected to the churches.
The graffiti at St James included sexually graphic images and expletives, and the words “god is a lie”. It was discovered by parishioners on Good Friday – a crucial holy day for Christians that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus.
The vandalism of the churches has been condemned by each the interim head of the Church of England, Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, and the Bishop of Blackburn, Philip North.
The Archbishop said in a message to the congregation, “For this precious holy ground to be so appallingly desecrated is deeply shocking.”
The Bishop of Blackburn, Philip North, called it “probably the most disgraceful attack on a Christian community on probably the most solemn day of the 12 months” and “such a tragic end to Good Friday”.
The church was forced to cover the lewd graffiti with plants for an Easter wedding that was happening over the vacation weekend. It has since been professionally removed.
The Bishop of Burnley, Rt Rev Joe Kennedy, joined the vicar and congregation of St James in rededicating the church on Easter Sunday.
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