A HOMELESS drug addict who fell asleep under church pews after stealing from the collection box has been banned from all places of worship in the city.

Richard Mitchell, of O’Hanlon House, was confronted by somebody at St Mary Magdalen Church in Oxford, on the morning of June 6, Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.

Prosecutor Sarah Mackay told the court Mitchell denied stealing from the collection before leaving.

She said the 41-year-old went on to steal a purse from a member of the congregation of the Baptist Church in Woodstock Road the next day.

Ms Mackay said: “Someone went in to prepare for Sunday service, when they went to leave they noticed the box was open and became suspicious.

“They found Mitchell asleep between the pews who sat up and said ‘it wasn’t me, it is disgusting that anyone would do that’ and walked out.”

But Mitchell had left behind the screwdriver used to prise open the box and police matched it to his DNA and arrested him.

When he was arrested the court heard he threw a television which ‘caught the leg of an officer’, spat at another and was verbally and racially abusive to another.

Mitchell admitted two counts of theft and three counts of assaulting a police officer.

He was given a 10-month custodial sentence suspended for a year and ordered to attend drug rehabilitation as well as pay £150 compensation to the police officers.

Defending Mitchell, Tim Baker spoke of his history of drug addiction including heroin and crack cocaine and said this was the drive behind his actions.

He explained the father-of-one had recently kicked his addiction to synthetic cannabis ‘spice’ which was made recently made illegal and has since reconnected with his daughter who is said to be his motivation behind beating this addiction.

Mitchell was also banned from entering any church within the Oxford ring road for the next four years and is not allowed to trespass at any Oxford University buildings.

PC Mike Ellis said: “I am pleased the magistrates have acknowledged the harm done through thefts from charity boxes and churches.

“We hope he is now on the road to recovering from addiction and the criminal behaviour order in tandem with the Drugs Rehabilitation Requirements should help get his life back on track.”