Elvis singer ‘stole mother-in-law’s funeral collection’
AN Elvis impersonator stole a cancer charity collection at his mother-inlaw’s funeral after performing a tribute song, a court heard.
Christopher Burrows, 56, sang The Wonder of You during the service in memory of Solange Scott, the mother of his wife at the time.
But minutes later he pocketed £290 collected by mourners for Macmillan Cancer Support in October 2015, Leicester Crown Court heard. Mr Burrows, of Wigston, Leics, denies theft.
Jonathan Eley, for the prosecution, said a collection for the charity was taken in the church of St Peter and St Paul in Hathern. “It was taken aside by the churchwarden, Janet Leivers, and the amount noted down and logged in a book in the church kept to record all such donations,” the jury was told.
“Burrows, along with his nephew, Jacob Radford, the grandson of his father-in-law Anthony Scott, came back to the church to clear away the PA system and speakers,” Mr Eley said.
“That’s when Mrs Leivers took the opportunity to hand the envelope containing the cards and donations to the defendant.”
Mrs Leivers said she was alone in the church when Mr Burrows came in and took the envelope of money.
She added: “About 40 minutes after the funeral service, Mr Burrows and a young man came to collect the PA system, laptops and amp and microphones from the service.
“I came out of the vestry and took the envelope to him and asked if he would pass it on to Mr Scott, and he agreed.
“I think he put the envelope into his coat pocket. I’m not 100 per cent sure, but it certainly went out of view.” Mr Radford told the court that he saw his uncle take the envelope and “put it into the pocket of a laptop bag” which he was told belonged to Mr Scott.
Mr Burrows was arrested in March last year after Mr Scott discovered that Macmillan Cancer Support hadn’t received the £290 donation.
Mr Eley read out a statement from a charity official confirming they had not received the money.
The court heard that Mr Burrows claimed that he left the envelope on a church pew and forgot to take it.
The trial continues.