PETERBOROUGH (UNITED KINGDOM)
SuffolkLive [Suffolk, England]
March 10, 2023
By Daniel Defalco
The victim was left with “serious lifelong psychological scars”
A retired Suffolk priest who sexually abused a girl over a three-year period in the 1980s has been jailed. Dennis Finbow, 74, visited the family home of the victim in Peterborough, on numerous occasions in the 1980s and abused her.
At Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday, March 8, Finbow, of Bealings Road in Martlesham, was jailed for six years and six months having been found guilty on three counts of indecent assault after having pleaded not guilty to six counts. He was found not guilty on the other three counts.
The court heard how Finbow would go into the girl’s bedroom claiming her mother had sent him, and that he wanted to speak to her about becoming a woman. He also asked her to take her clothes off as well as touching her inappropriately.
DC Annette Renwick said: “I am pleased Finbow has finally faced justice. He subjected the victim to shocking sexual abuse which can leave serious lifelong psychological scars. His role was that of a person in a position of trust, a person that many parishioners admired but who also trusted him with their children. That trust he abused.javascript:void(0)
“The victim showed immense bravery to not only come forward, but also to support us with a prosecution and give evidence in court, which takes a huge amount of strength and courage.”
If you’ve been affected by sexual abuse of any kind don’t be afraid to tell someone, find the courage to come forward and get the help you deserve. You can report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences to Suffolk Police by pressing here.