Man found guilty of stealing lead sheeting from Rutland churches
A jury found him guilty of all 18 charges after deliberating for over four hours
A man has been found guilty of stealing lead sheeting from 15 churches across the Midlands, including two in Rutland.
Madalin Gabriel Prundaru, 26, of Redbridge Lane East, Ilford, had denied 18 lead theft charges.
But following a trial at Lincoln Crown Court, a jury found him guilty of all 18 charges after deliberating for over four hours.
The trial began on Monday 20 March and concluded on Thursday 24 March.
All the offences took place during a spate of attacks by groups of men on churches between May and August, 2016 which caused damage estimated at £461,000.
Churches targeted in Lincolnshire included St Nicholas Church in Walcot, which fell victim to thieves twice in late August 2016, St Botolph's in Newton and The Church of St Denys in Kirkby la Thorpe, along with St Andrew's Church at Witham on the Hill.
Eleven other churches across the Midlands fell victim to lead thefts.
They included two churches in Oxfordshire, St Andrew's Church in Kingham and St Giles Church at Wigginton, and St Nicholas Church in Fyfield, Wiltshire.
Two churches in Northamptonshire were also targetted, St Margaret's Church at Luddington, which was struck twice, and St Andrew's Church at Cotterstock.
Two churches in Rutland, including St Mary's at Manton and St Edmund's at Egleton.
And four churches in Leicestershire. They included St Mary's at Wyfordby, St Mary's at Garthorpe, All Saints Church in Beeby and St Peter and Paul's Church at Sywell which was struck twice.
Prundaru was released on conditional bail until 28 April when he will be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court.
A further release and images will be issued after sentence.