Widows Lash Out At Church Fees Theft Vicar

Two widows who handed over cash to vicar Simon Reynolds in relation to headstones after their husbands died have said he deserved a longer sentence.

Iris Fleetwood, whose husband Jeff died in 2010, said: "To me personally, he nearly destroyed me, that man.

"I did warn the church at the time, I told him personally and his boss that he was no man of God and he was a disgrace to Darton church.''

Mrs Fleetwood said:

"He took me to the very edge, Simon, and from that day I've waited for this day and, at last, it's come. I knew one day he would be found out for exactly what he is. He was never, ever a man of God.''

Gail Zoldan, whose husband Martin died in 2011, said: "I'm glad that justice has been done but I do think he should have got longer than what he has - him being in the position that he was, being a priest.

"If it had been somebody else, I wouldn't have been as bothered. But I think being a priest, and having all your trust in him, the sentence just isn't long enough.''

Mrs Zoldan said:

"When you've lost somebody so close to you, that's been a big part of your life since you were fourteen years of age, and then you try to make a nice grave for him and he doesn't even keep the cemetery properly done - you've to fight weeds and everything to get to a grave. And then for him to steal money that was there for that reason, it just causes you a lot of grief, so much upset.''

Both women, who live in Darton, watched from the public gallery at Sheffield Crown Court as Reynolds was jailed.