Ilford man accused of stealing lead from 15 churches including at Witham-on-the-Hill, Manton, Egleton and Cotterstock

A man has gone on trial accused of stealing lead sheeting from 15 churches including four in the area.

Madalin Gabriel Prundaru, 26, of Redbridge Lane East, Ilford, is on trial at Lincoln Crown Court and denies 18 charges of theft.

All the offences are alleged to have occurred during a spate of attacks by groups of men on churches between May and August, 2016.

Among those churches in Lincolnshire which were targeted is St Nicholas Church at Walcot which allegedly fell victim to thieves twice in late August 2016.

Two other churches near Sleaford, St Botolph's in Newton and The Church of St Denys in Kirkby la Thorpe, were also allegedly targeted around that same period, along with St Andrew's Church at Witham-on-the-Hill earlier in 2016.

Eleven other churches have had lead stolen.

They include 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, including St Margaret's Church at Luddington, which was allegedly 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 include 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 allegedly struck twice.

Giving evidence Prundaru told the jury he came to the UK in October 2015 and briefly worked in construction before being offered some nightwork by a second man called Gigi Prundaru who came to his mother's home.

Prundaru said he was only told it was "construction."

"He (Gigi) said 'it was old buildings and we needed to take stuff off to repair them.'

"I trusted him, so I went wherever he did," Prundaru explained.

Prundaru said he was paid £25 for each job.

"He (Gigi) never said it was theft."

Prundaru said the first time he learnt Gigi was involved in theft from churches was when he was told by the police.

When asked why he made no comment in his first police interview Prundaru replied: "Because when police stopped us Gigi Prundaru said to me 'don't say anything to them.' "

The trial continues