[Susan Foreman]

Remembering when an unknown metal band sent Britain into a Satanic panic / Kerrang

"...Later that year [1993], black metal made the headlines in the UK after a the four members of Necropolis, a band from Tunbridge Wells in Kent were sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court after causing damage to seven churches in Kent at an estimated cost of ?100,000.

That March, seven churches and one cemetery in Kent were vandalised; windows were smashed and gravestones were damaged. The events were even reported on BBC South East, with its newsreader reporting on campaign for a ban of black metal music, a ?form of music with disturbing satanic overtones? which ?encourages devil worship and the desecration of churches"

Three members ? David Wharton, Mark Reeve (both 22), Kevin Rooney (21, from neighbouring Eynsford) ? were jailed for 30 months each pleading guilty to conspiracy to cause damage, while Paul Timms ? who regretted only that he had not burned one of the churches down ? didn?t help his case by wearing Cradle Of Filth's notorious Jesus Is A C*nt T-shirt during his second court hearing and was given 30 months at a young offenders? institution in Rochester. In prison, Paul allegedly went on hunger strike and when asked what he wanted to eat supposedly replied, "A bible." He was later moved to a facility in Dover for his own protection after a violent attack from inmates..."