Jurors deciding the fate of a scrap metal dealer have been shown footage showing bag upon bag of memorial plaques stolen from graves, some still with cemetery soil stuck to them, at his premises.

Some of the plaques discovered at DSM scrap metal merchants in Bensham Lane, Croydon were still screwed to the stakes used to plant them at Croydon Cemetery, Beckenham Cemetery and others across south London.

Footage from the police raid on May 14 2012, at Joseph Collier’s premises showed some still caked in fresh mud and grass.

Mr Collier, of Bensham Lane, denies he knew the plaques had been stolen.

But in his opening statement at the trial at Croydon Crown Court this morning, James Lofthouse, for the prosecution, said there was no way the 74-year-old did not know he had taken in stolen goods.

News Shopper: Police worked to piece the broken plaques back togetherPolice worked to piece the broken plaques back together

Police pieced the broken plaques back together again

He said: "There was a very large amount of scrap metal in the yard and within several bags in the yard were these plaques.

"All of them had names and dates on with personal messages on them.

"Some of them had been cut into quite small pieces, making them unrecognisable."

"Joseph Collier was asked what they were and he replied ‘Brass’.

"He was asked did he know anything about them and he said ‘No’.

"He was asked had he ever seen them before and he said ‘I don’t think so’."

CCTV showed staff using a cutting machine to chop the plaques into small pieces.

Mr Collier denies this was intentionally done to make them unrecognisable.

CCTV played to the court also showed Mr Collier glancing into a laundry bag and a black Sports Direct bag, which the prosecution say contained metal plaques, before he paid cash for the contents.

Mr Lofthouse told the jury DSM had been visited several times by trading standards officers before the raid and Mr Collier was warned thieves were stealing plaques to sell to scrap merchants.

The prosecution states Mr Collier should have been more careful to check everything coming into the yard to make sure it was not stolen.

Police also discovered a Jesus statue taken from Putney Vale Cemetery, and an ornamental dragon (pictured below).

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This ornamental dragon was found at DSM scrap metal merchants

Mr Collier denies knowing that these items were stolen.

The court also heard an undercover police officer sold Mr Collier several items of scrap metal including eight brand new rolls of copper.

During this transaction the officer, known as Paul, told Mr Collier to be careful and shift them quickly as they had UK Power Networks stamped on them.

Mr Lofthouse told the jury: "Mr Collier must have believed that this was stolen copper that he was dealing with."