A THIEF broke into a church in Pontypool and stole a cake and some chocolate. 

The incident happened at Merchant's Hill Baptists Church in October during a spate of incidents where churches and places of worships were targeted by Raymond Weatherley.

The church's Reverend Beverley Morgan said on October 23, the thief went around the back of the church and broke the kitchen window.

"They took the wires out of the alarm and broke a cupboard in the school room," said Reverend Morgan.

"The only thing that was taken was a packet of smarties and a cake," said Reverend Morgan, who is a former police officer and celebrated 30 years as a minister at the Merchant's Hill Baptist Church in Pontypool this year.

Reverend Morgan said it was lucky no more damage was done, saying: "The person went all around the church and thankfully didn’t do any more damage."

At the time Gwent Police sent out an appeal to find the person who broke into the church and managed to identify Weatherley as the culprit.

Weatherley's cake and chocolate theft at the Pontypool church was not his only crime relating to a church or place of worship in the area.  

Weatherley, from Riverside, Cardiff, appeared in Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court on Monday, November 25 charged with seven burglaries at churches in Cardiff, Bridgend, and Rhondda Cynon Taf. His crimes committed in Torfaen were also taken into account.

Weatherley, 48, pleaded guilty to these offences and to a charge of fraud by false representation.

He was remanded in custody and will next appear at Cardiff Crown Court on December 23.

In the last few weeks, Gwent Police have been sending out patrols in Torfaen to churches and places of worship.

These patrols were to offer reassurances to churches and places of worship in the area.

Gwent police said "due to an increase in both Church's and places of worship being targeted for burglaries across Torfaen" they had sent the patrols out.