Vicar who disappeared after conviction for stealing £24,000 of church funds has handed himself into police

The INTERPOL search has been called off

Simon Reynolds (PA)

A Yorkshire Vicar who disappeared after being convicted for stealing over £24,000 that belonged to his church has handed himself into the police.

South Yorkshire Police had been working with forces across the country to find Simon Reynolds, who failed to return to court to hear a jury find him guilty of four counts of theft.

South Yorkshire Police had even contacted international criminal organisation INTERPOL, in the hope of tracking down the 50-year-old clergyman, who they believed may have fled to Europe.

Reynolds' trial heard he had not paid any fees for weddings or funerals to the Wakefield Diocesan Board of Finance for a number of years, despite conducting a number of services during this time.

Monuments for 23 burials and 50 cremation plaques or inscriptions were found in the church grounds and graveyard but no records of the burials or cremations had been made.

The funds that had been stolen were fees given to him for weddings, funerals and graveyard memorials when he was the priest in charge of All Saints Church in Darton, near Barnsley.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Whittaker told The Independent that "following intensive police work over the weekend, officers were able to trace and make contact with Simon Reynolds.

“As a result of this extensive work, Simon Reynolds made his way back from mainland Europe and presented himself at a police station in Sheffield at 11.30am where he was arrested and taken into police custody.

“He appeared at Sheffield Crown Court this afternoon where he was remanded ahead of sentencing which is due to take place tomorrow.

"We would like to thank everyone who helped to share our appeal.”