stole $455.

The Rev. Vernon Lambe, who leads services at the First Church of God, Pembroke, yesterday promised to help rehabilitate Warren Mallory who stole from the church overnight on Friday.

And Magistrates' Court yesterday heard 31-year-old Mallory, of Angle Street, Pembroke, went to the church on Saturday, claiming: "I have come to calm the beast.'' He then admitted to fellow parishioners that he had kicked in a glass-paned door to break into the offices.

Single father-of-two Mallory, who pleaded guilty, also told Police: "I have asked the saints for forgiveness.'' Crown counsel Larry Mussenden told the court Mallory was free on licence having been jailed for seven years in 1990 for robbery and breaking into a hotel.

The court was also told Mallory had two previous convictions for burglary in 1984.

But Senior Magistrate Will Francis released him on $800 bail for social inquiry reports to be prepared within two weeks.

Mallory was also ordered to keep living at the Angle Street church rehabilitation centre and obey an overnight curfew between 7 p.m. and 6.30 a.m.

Dr. Lambe told the court he had "mixed emotions'' about the break-in.

He added: "I would like to express that we have been trying to work with this young man for the past several weeks, in an effort to do some work of rehabilitation.

"We were impressed with the fact that he was doing so well on parole following his seven-year sentence. That gave us inspiration.

"He has been attending our church and we are still working to forgive him. He has been staying in our residence for young men and women who are trying to get their lives together.'' Mallory will reappear at Magistrates' Court on November 3 for sentencing.

The Rev. Vernon Lambe CRIME CRM