Vicar stole almost £6,000 from Lancashire church and harrassed Bishop
A vicar has pleaded guilty in court to stealing almost £6,000 from the church - and harrassing the Bishop of Blackburn.
Father Matthew McMurray was vicar at St James' Church, Lostock Hall and St Paul’s in Farington Moss, before his resignation on March 31.
Court record show that the 46-year-old of The Vicarage, Brownedge Road, Lostock Hall, pleaded guilty to stealing money from his employer to the value of just under £6,000 belonging to the Blackburn Diocean Board, between August 23, 2021 and December 19, 2023.
Bail conditions were that he was not to contact directly or indirectly Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn, or to attend St Pauls Church, Leyland or St James's Church, Lostock Hall.
But on March 10 he was arrested for breaking a bail condition, namely contacting the diocese of Blackburn.
Harrassment
He has also pleaded guilty to pursuing a course of conduct which amounted to the harassment of Bishop North -in that Whatsapp messages were sent on March 10 and 11, 2025 of a harrassing nature.
Father McMurray, who had also been a governor with Applebee Wood Community Specialist School and Farington Moss St Paul’s School, had been on long-term sick leave from this post since September 2024, before his resignation.
Sentencing information has not been available to the Post because of the Bank Holiday.
The Post has tried to make contact with the Diocese of Blackburn and the church wardens for comment.