UNITED KINGDOM
Eastbourne Herald

Published on 10/04/2013

A retired Eastbourne priest has gone on trial accused of multiple counts of sexual abuse at a children’s home in the 1960s.

Canon Gordon Rideout, 74, is alleged to have committed 30 indecent assaults and two attempted rapes when he was assistant curate at St Mary’s Church, Southgate.

The complainants, ten woman and four men, were child residents of a Crawley children’s home at the time of the alleged assaults.

Mr Rideout, of Filching Close, Polegate, is also accused of one indecent assault in Essex, and a further three against two victims in Hampshire.

He denied all 37 counts at Lewes Crown Court on Monday (April 8).