A PERSISTENT lead thief who admitted more than 30 crimes across the county has been labelled despicable by a judge after targeting a church and a school.

Father-of-four Anthony Billingsley was jailed for 12 months – the longest sentence available – when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court.

The 32-year-old, of Dent Close, off Wyld's Lane, Worcester, pleaded guilty to five thefts and a burglary but asked the court to take 25 further offences into account.

These included a theft from a school causing £4,000 of damage and numerous properties around the Worcester area.

As previously reported, Billingsley, admitted two thefts from the disused Morrison’s supermarket, in New Road, Kidderminster on Friday, May 20, and Thursday, June 23.

He was traced after police found a bloody tissue at the scene.

On Thursday, September 29, Billingsley was caught stealing lead from an outbuilding at St George’s Church, in Barbourne and Gascoyne House, in South Quay.

He was seen loading the lead onto the front of his bicycle and was stopped by police. The damage to the church was estimated at £300.

Then while on court bail he was arrested for stealing lead from the roof of the Massalla Lounge restaurant and another building in Broad Street on Wednesday, October 19.

His case had been adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Ruth Edwards, defending, said her client had been a heroin user for most of his adult life and stole to fund his habit.

She said his drug addiction has resulted in separation from his partner and their four children.

She said: “He knows if he goes on like this he will end up dead in a doorway or going to prison through a revolving door.”

Jailing him for 12 months, deputy district judge Nigel Cadbury said: “This was a substantial spree of offending. There has also been substantial loss to the victims of your crimes.

“A school which is already strapped for cash could have spent that money on buying books for children. The offence at the church is totally unacceptable. To take lead from a church is despicable, it is a particularly vulnerable property.”

No order was made for costs or compensation.