A forensics team was called to a Dundee church after a thief stole wine from a fridge, the sheriff court heard.
Jason Massie, 23, of Strathmore Lodge, Ward Road, was jailed for four months after he admitted the crime.
The court heard how Massie forced his way into St Columba’s Church presbytery on Derwent Avenue, normally occupied by Father Neil Gallagher, and stole the alcoholic drink.
Father Gallagher, who had been away from the church at the time the incident took place, described the crime as a “bit of a shock”.
Depute fiscal Kirsten Thomson said the church was checked on August 4 2013, then securely locked as everything was in order.
She said: “The following morning, on August 5, the same person, who works at the church, returned and saw the wooden side door had been forced open by bodily force and was cracked.
“They did not enter the church, and phoned police.
“Forensic support officers attended and took photos and fingerprints from the scene.
“The worker then went into the church and noted that nothing had been taken except for a quantity of wine.
“The fingerprints were found to match those of the accused, and he was traced and admitted during police interview that he had broken into the church and taken the wine.”
Father Gallagher had been overseas at the time of the theft, which was dealt with by parishioners.
The wine had been bought as a gift for his return.
He said: “They didn’t want to upset me while I was on my trip. It was a bit of a shock to come back and hear the news.
“He came in and stole some wine from the fridge that sits in the vestibule, just inside the back door.
“He didn’t actually get into the house itself and it was noticed when parishioners saw the door had been forced open.”
Last year groundskeepers at St Columba’s were forced to rake through hundreds of needles that had been left in its grounds.
Father Gallagher had warned children to stay away from the church in case they got injured.