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Men who stole money in church break-in jailed

News imageBBC A red brick old style building, formerly a school now used as a church hall. It is made of red brick with five large windows. An arch can be seen with the lettering St Augustines ChurchBBC
St Augustine's Church sits on Derry's historic walls

Two men who admitted breaking into one of Londonderry's most historic churches and stealing money have been jailed.

Shane Kavanagh, 30 of Waterloo Place, Derry and Maurice O'Shea, 35, of Westland Street, broke into St Augustine's Church on 7 May 2025.

At Londonderry Crown Court on Thursday, O'Shea further admitted burglaries at the Pickled Duck restaurant and the Walled City Brewery in March 2025.

Kavanagh was handed a 27-month sentence, while O'Shea received a sentence of 50 months. They will spend half of their sentences in custody and half on licence.

The court was told that O'Shea was arrested following reports of two suspicious males leaving a church hall on 7 May.

Police found a window broken and a door that had been forced in, as well as a sum of money stolen.

He was found by police with cash on his person, as well as a note that was later confirmed to be from the church cafe.

In relation to the other robberies, carried out between 17 and 20 March 2025, the court was told blood and fingerprints were found that could connect O'Shea to the scenes.