A man who was accused of committing sacrilege was refused bail when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday.

Michael Deonarine, 28, of Light Street pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering the Carmel Seventh-day Adventist Church between June 9-10 and stealing 24 rolls of toilet tissue and 12 rolls of paper towels valued at $5,000.

Deonarine told the court that on the night of the incident, he was on his way home when he saw two men standing on the road outside the church.  He said that they had the rolls of tissue in their possession and as it was drizzling, he was asked to help put the items  under the church.

He added that as soon as he had finished, the police turned up  and arrested him for stealing.  He said that he did not know the man’s name who had asked him to help but he can recognise him.

He said, “I didn’t trouble anything for these people. I didn’t do anything, I just assisted.”

Police Prosecutor Stephen Telford asked for bail to be refused since the defendant had been in court before  charged with similar offences.

He said that on the day in question, the police responded to a report of a break-in  and when they arrived at the scene, they found Deonarine with the articles mentioned in the charge in his possession.

He was then remanded and the matter put down for July 13.