Former Rye Priest Guilty over Indecent Child Images

Rye & Battle Observer
January 7, 2016

http://www.ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk/news/local/former-rye-priest-guilty-over-indecent-child-images-1-7149667

A former Rye priest pleaded guilty to charges in connection with more than 3,000 indecent pictures of children yesterday (Wednesday, January 6).

Paul Clarke, formerly of Watchbell Road but now lives in Manchester, entered the pleas at Lewes Crown Court.

The 71-year-old had been charged with possessing an indecent image of a child, possession of prohibited images and making a total of 3,100 indecent images of children.

Clarke, of Redclyffe Road, Urmston, Greater Manchester, was arrested after a search of his home in the residential presbytery attached to St Anthony’s Church on November 13, 2014.

He is due to be sentenced on February 5.

Police said the charges all related to images taken from the internet.

There is no evidence of contact offending and none of the images are of local children.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RyeandBattleObserver

3) Follow us on Twitter Text to display

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Rye and Battle Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.