Former Thatcham Vicar Walks Free from Court

By John Herring
Newbury Today
December 11, 2014

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/former-thatcham-vicar-walks-free-from-court

A FORMER Thatcham vicar has walked free from court after being cleared of 11 charges he faced involving inappropriate sexual conduct with children.

The Rev. Peter Jarvis did not flinch as a jury returned not guilty verdicts on five sexual offence charges against two teenage girls and two teenage boys between June 1, 2008, and October 31, 2011.

Yesterday (Wednesday) the jury of seven women and five men cleared Mr Jarvis of seven other charges, including five counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of sexual activity with a child.

However, they failed to reach a verdict over a final count of sexual impropriety and prosecutors have a week to decide if they want a re-trial.