Retired Eastbourne Priests Arrested over Historic Child Abuse Cases

The Metro
March 6, 2012

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/892305-retired-eastbourne-priests-arrested-over-historic-child-abuse-cases

Retired Eastbourne priests arrested over historic child abuse cases

Sussex police said although the men were arrested on the same day it is not thought the two cases are linked.

Detectives have emphasised that no children are currently thought to be at risk.

The 73-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexual assaults committed against nine young people at locations in Crawley in West Sussex, Barkingside in north-east London and Middle Wallop in Hampshire on various dates between 1965 and 1972.

The 70-year-old man meanwhile was arrested on suspicion of sexual assaults against three young men in West Sussex during late 1970s and mid-1980s.

Sussex police said the arrests followed a six-month investigation and were prompted by a confidential review conducted by retired judge Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss.

Allegations against the 73-year-old man arrested first surfaced in 1972 but no criminal proceedings were brought, while an arrest was made in 2001 but there was insufficient evidence to charge.

An arrest was made in connection with the allegations against the 70-year-old man in 1997, but again there was insufficient evidence to bring a prosecution.

'Although they have been arrested on the same day the cases against the two men are being treated as separate enquiries at this stage. The offences were allegedly committed at different times and in different places from each other,' said Detective Chief Inspector Carwyn Hughes.

'The re-investigation of these cases has taken six months. This is a very complex enquiry, in the course of which many people, all now adults, have had to be traced, together with other witnesses and records from a wide variety of sources.

'There are no allegations of recent or current offending and police emphasise that there is nothing to suggest that any children are currently at risk.

'The Diocese of Chichester are co-operating fully with police. Although the cases referred to are still under police investigation, Sussex Police make it clear that the force will always take seriously any allegations of historic sexual offending, and every possible step will be taken to investigate whenever appropriate.'