TWO people have been banned from every graveyard in York after sentimental items were stolen from the graves of a charity fundraiser and a baby.
Sean Dennis Jefferson, 45, and Elizabeth Anne Jowitt, 35, both of Sowerby Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of handling stolen goods, after police searched their belongings and found items taken from cemeteries.
York Magistrates' Court heard moving statements from the families of charity fundraiser Jennifer Ryan and baby Telan Carlton, with relatives speaking of their devastation at learning things were being stolen from their graves.
Telan's mum Kia Carlton said her six-year-old son was upset at the thefts and had drawn pictures of bad people near Telan's grave.
Kia Carlton at Telan's grave
Jefferson and Jowitt were each given a community order to be tagged and put on a curfew between 7pm and 8am for 47 weeks and were told they must not enter graveyards in York, indefinitely, unless attending a funeral.
Penny Curry, chair of the bench, said: "You stand here today charged here today guilty of a most mean and despicable crime.
"You have committed the most mean crime which has had a devastating effect on people. You must not leave this court with the impression that is the end of it.
"If you breach this order you will be brought to this court and the likelihood is you will be sent immediately into custody."
The court heard the family of fundraiser Jennifer Ryan, from Acomb, who died from cancer in 2013, aged 57, began to realise ornaments were missing from her grave.
Matthew Ryan at his wife’s graveside at Everilda’s Church, at Poppleton, with family members, from left, Callie Ryan, Matty Ryan and Malissa Ryan
They had noticed seeing a vehicle in the church yard at St Everilda's in Nether Poppleton and a relative spotted the same vehicle in Sowerby Road, and then recognised their belongings in a window nearby.
Police searched the house with a warrant and recovered belongings taken from Mrs Ryan's grave as well as others.
They arrested Jefferson and Jowitt and appealed to anyone else who may have noticed items were missing.
Kia Carlton, 26, who lost her 11-month-old daughter Telan to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in 2012, came forward, and sentimental items she had left on her daughter's grave were among those police had retrieved.
Kia said in a statement given to the court: "I can't believe that someone would stoop so low as to steal from Telan's grave. Being able to visit Telan's grave and leave presents for her has given me a small amount of comfort and to think that even after she has died, someone could take these, I find really distressing.
"My six-year-old son has also found it difficult to deal with. He can't understand why someone would steal from Telan.
"He draws pictures of Telan's grave and pictures of what he calls the bad people. He asked me recently what Telan had got for Christmas and whether the bad people have stolen it."
Jowitt and Jefferson outside court
Mrs Ryan's husband Matthew said in a statement: "My wife and I would have celebrated 40 years of marriage. I would have loved dearly for her to reach the anniversary but sadly she didn't make it.
"I was absolutely distraught the morning I went to see her and the items had been taken from her grave.
"My wife suffered so much and and its wrong that even now she can't lie in peace." Jefferson and Jowitt, who both have criminal records for handling stolen goods, had stood trial for stealing the items but later pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods.
They pleaded guilty to dishonestly receiving chrome lanterns and a slate plaque, and a chrome heart with a pearl heart. Jowitt said she had bought the items and was using them as decoration for her home, the court heard.
The offences occurred between April and October 2014.
In mitigation, Megan Waldron said Jefferson and Jowitt had been staying out of trouble and did not want to continue a cycle of offending. She said they were remorseful about what had happened.
Jefferson and Jowitt were ordered to pay £400 in costs each towards the cost of the abandoned trial.
Speaking after the court hearing, Mrs Ryan's daughters Trudy and Angela, and Telan's mother Kia said they were disappointed by the sentencing.
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