Scottish Catholic Observer

62-year-old Fr Gerard Magee was threatened and attacked at St Winin’s Church in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, after he opened the door to the man and let him in to the chapel house around 4.30pm on Tuesday, January 23.

The suspect demanded the priest hand over money, grabbing his collar and began pushing and shoving him.

The man then took the keys from the priest and left empty-handed, with the keys later found in the area.

The priest did not need medical attention following the incident.

The culprit is described as being around 25 to 30 years of age, with brown and of medium height and built.

He was described as being scruffy in appearance, dressed in dark trousers and a blue tracksuit top.

Police believe the same man may have been the cause of an earlier disruption in the area of Kilwinning’s Pennyburn supermarket shortly before the attempted robbery at St Winin’s.

Police have been making enquiries in the vicinity, will search CCTV footage and are following several lines of enquiry.

“I am appealing to anyone who was in either of these areas at the time of the incidents to think back and consider if they noticed anything suspicious or unusual,” detective inspector Mick Carr said. “Did you see anyone hanging about outside the church?

“If there is any information which you think could assist us in our enquiries and lead to us tracing the person responsible then please do pass it on. Your information could prove vital.”

Anyone who has information is asked to phone officers at Saltcoats CID via 101, quoting incident number 2486 of 23 January 2018.

Alternatively they can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where information can be passed anonymously.