A YOUNG dad caught stripping a church roof of lead in the early hours was desperate for cash for nappies and baby milk, a court heard.

Jamie Michael Shackleton, 21, left part of St Matthew’s Church, in Burnley, ‘open to the elements’ and facing a bill for repairs.

Shackleton, who tried to hide in guttering when police turned up, claimed he had run out of benefits money for his baby.

Burnley magistrates were told he smoked cannabis ‘when he has the money’.

The father-of-two, who struck just two days after being given a community order and unpaid work for burglary, admitted theft.

The defendant, of Queensberry Road, Burnley, was put on a three-month curfew, between 7pm and 7am, every day of the week.

Andrew Robinson, prosecuting, said on June 24, just before 1am, police were called to the church after reports of a man on a flat roof at the back of the property.

Police went onto the roof and found the defendant trying to hide.

One piece of lead which had been removed was between 10 and 15 metres long and other pieces had been taken, rolled up and put on the grass.

The defendant owned up to police and said he had wanted the lead to scrap for cash.

David Leach, for Shackleton, said he had been visibly upset at the police station because he realised what he had done in targeting a church which relied very much on donations.

He and his partner woke up and found there were no nappies, or milk, for the baby after their benefits money ran out.

The defendant went out to see if he could find any skips, but knew there would be lead on the church roof.

He could have applied for a crisis loan, but was desperate.

Today the vicar, the Rev Mark Williams, said: “We have assessed the damage and it is not as bad as first feared.

"Hopefully, we will be able to fix the damage through church funds.”