THIS is the disturbing message, written in scrawled red pen and pinned to the table with kitchen knives, that was left by the killer of a former Witham vicar.
Describing them as "Christian scum", the note was found by Alan and Margaret Pinder when they returned to their home in the parish of Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, after the Christmas break last year.
Their cottage had been broken into, items strewn across the house, and half-eaten food left in the kitchen.
The burglar was Stephen Farrow, a homeless drifter, who has also admitted the manslaughter of the Reverend John Suddards, the new vicar of Thornbury, just a few weeks later.
Reverend Suddards had previously been the vicar at St Nicolas Church in Chipping Hill.
Farrow said he admitted manslaughter under diminished responsibility due to mental health problems.
Farrow also admitted burgling Vine Cottage where the chilling message was left, but denied a second murder charge – that of Betty Yates, 77, who was found beaten to death at her home in Worcestershire in January.
At the opening of 49-year-old Farrow's trial in Bristol Crown Court last week, prosecuting Michael Fitton QC, spoke of the burglary.
He said: "On the kitchen table was a note. It was pinned using two kitchen knives. It was written in a curious, disguised style of squiggly writing.
"It said: 'Be thankful you did not come back or we would have killed you, Christian scum. I hate God.'"
The court heard the message meant nothing to Mr and Mrs Pinder, who were not overtly religious.
Around six weeks later, the body of Reverend Suddards was found by workmen, surrounded by pornographic material, party poppers and, once again, half eaten food.
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