A Catholic priest in the United Kingdom has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, after being convicted of stealing church funds. Fortunato Pantisano, 44, was caught on CCTV taking about £200 (approx. 156,300 FCFA) from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Fulham, west London, on January 7, 2024.
The theft occurred after the second Mass of the day and was discovered by parish volunteer John McGranaghan, who had been suspicious after noticing missing money from previous collections. McGranaghan set up a camera to monitor the church’s offertory funds, which were placed in a locked office accessible from the priest’s residence.
“This was the collection from the parishioners for the two Masses that morning. We went back to count the offertory, and there were two empty baskets, and the collection had gone,” McGranaghan testified during the trial. “Because of what had been happening in the previous weeks, I decided to go back to count the money that day.”
CCTV footage revealed Pantisano taking the baskets and returning them empty.
Pleaded Not Guilty, Convicted of Theft
Pantisano, an Italian national, pleaded not guilty to theft by an employee in June 2024 but was convicted following a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. The court heard that Pantisano had served as a priest at the church for 10 years and had previously been of good character.
Despite his denial, District Judge Daniel Sternberg described the crime as one of “high culpability” due to the trust placed in Pantisano by the church. He was ordered to pay £200 in compensation and approximately £800 in court costs.
Suspension and Future Prospects
At the time of the theft, Pantisano was already suspended from his priestly duties. Judge Sternberg noted it was likely that Pantisano would not be able to practise as a priest again, stating, “The offence was a serious breach of trust.” However, the judge also highlighted that a suspended sentence was appropriate given Pantisano’s lack of previous convictions, his low risk to the public, and a “strong prospect” for rehabilitation.
Pantisano, who lives in Westminster, has continued to deny the charges, even as his pre-sentence report indicated.
