Criminal claims help from Pope

Julian Evans sent abusive messages

A man used false references from the Pope which he bought on the internet in an attempt to get a lighter court sentence.

At an earlier hearing, Julian Evans, 28, from Monmouth, south Wales, had pleaded guilty at Merthyr Magistrates court to sending abusive messages.

The court heard how he had sent the offensive e-mails to staff at the T-Mobile centre in Merthyr Tydfil after he was turned down for a job there.

But Evans claimed the Vatican had heard he was in trouble and tried to do something for help.

He then handed in papers apparently from the pontiff stating the Pope's support for him.

What the reference said

My dear friends in Christ, I regret that we have been unable to protect the church from this scandal in the case of Julian Robert Evans. The entire church, the bride of Christ in afflicted by this wound (crime).

We are obliged to support Julian Robert Evans, and we have done throughout these troubled times.

Julian has given an immense amount of spiritual, human and social good for the welfare of the church and humanity, yours in Christ, Pope John Paul

But the Crown Prosecution Service launched an inquiry and discovered that the papers had been bought on the internet for £50.

On Friday, Evans appeared before a judge at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court where he admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Leighton Hughes, defending, told the court that Evans had admitted that the document was "not authentic".

The reference was said to be from the Pope

But Judge John Curran said: "I feel I haven't been told the truth by the defendant.

"I would not accept anything he said unless confirmed and supported by independent evidence.

"Attempting to mislead a court is a serious matter," he added.

The judge adjourned sentencing while further inquiries are carried out.

Evans of Wyefield Court in Monmouth, was remanded on bail.