A 34-year-old funeral home employee in Britain has escaped a prison sentence after stealing a treasured gold ring from the finger of a deceased Catholic priest and selling it to fund his drug habit.
Nicholas Mather, who worked at B Livesey Funeral Directors in Chorley, Lancashire, removed the 18-carat gold ring from the body of Father Peter Crowther on March 8, 2026, despite the late priest’s wish to be buried wearing it.
The ring, valued at between £3,000 and £3,500, was a family heirloom purchased by Father Crowther’s parents in Rome for his ordination in 1971. It carried a Latin inscription meaning “I am a priest for ever”, reflecting his lifelong religious vocation.
However, Mather sold the ring to a pawnbroker, where it was subsequently melted down, making its recovery impossible. He also stole a Rolls Royce key box ring from his employer. Police said he received £1,370 for the two items and spent the money on drugs.
At Preston Magistrates’ Court on Friday, October 16, Mather was handed a high-level community order, ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and directed to pay £6,500 in compensation. He had pleaded guilty to two theft offences.
Magistrates described the case as the worst theft they had encountered in their court, citing the emotional distress suffered by those affected.
Father Crowther’s next of kin, Kinga Gray Grzecynska, expressed anger and disbelief, describing the crime as a betrayal of trust and an affront to the dignity of the dead.
She said the theft had left her feeling that she had failed the priest because she could not fulfil his dying wish to be buried with the ring.
Father Crowther had devoted 55 years to serving God and helping thousands of people, making the loss particularly painful for relatives, fellow priests and members of his community.
Michael Livesey, director of the funeral home, said the incident had deeply upset him and his staff. He stressed that the ring’s sentimental value could not be replaced by financial compensation and confirmed that the company promptly reported the theft to Lancashire Constabulary.
Detective Constable Paul Whitaker said Mather’s actions represented a serious breach of trust, particularly because grieving families depend on funeral professionals to handle their loved ones with dignity and compassion.
The case has renewed attention to the responsibilities of funeral workers, whose duties extend beyond arranging burials to safeguarding the dignity, belongings and final wishes of the deceased.
For Father Crowther’s family, however, the compensation cannot restore the treasured ring or erase the pain of knowing that his final wish was denied.
