GLASGOW (UNITED KINGDOM)
Premier Christian News [Crowborough, England]
April 29, 2026
By Nayana Mena
A priest from the Roman Catholic denomination has been jailed for 19 months after being convicted of sexually assaulting a man at his church home.
Father Stephen Baillie, who was a priest for 36 years, forced himself on the drunken businessman at the chapel house of St Joseph’s Church in Clarkston, Renfrewshire in Scotland, after a night out together.
Last month the imprisoned priest was convicted by a jury at Paisley Sheriff Court, after he denied the charge.
The Diocese of Paisley had previously revealed that Baillie, who has been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years, had been dismissed as a parish priest.
The former canon, who is 61-years-old, had served at churches in Eaglesham, Clarkston, Paisley, Greenock and Barrhead.
Baillie’s victim was physically sick after he attempted to perform a sexual act on him in June 2024, the court heard.
The man told the jury that after sharing a bottle of wine, he’d agreed to go back to his house to wait for a taxi to be called, however Baillie offered him more alcohol before pouncing on his victim when he was “heavily intoxicated and unable to consent”.
The victim also told the jury that Baillie had performed several sex acts on him at his house on Eaglesham Road, including when he mentioned he needed to leave to get some air and even after he vomited and tried to clean himself up.
Sheriff Eoin McGinty, addressed Baillie in the court and said: “What is clear from the many letters of support and testimonials I have received is that you have helped many people in the past, and I have no doubt that, in some way, you will continue to do so in the future.
“But the fact is your victim was sexually assaulted in a number of ways over a period of time.
“We heard from his long-term partner about the effect and consequences that your attack has had upon him.
“I have concluded that the only appropriate sentence is one of imprisonment.”
Prosecutors wanted to implement a non-harassment order, which would ban Baillie from approaching or contacting his victim in any way, however, Sheriff McGinty said this measure wasn’t necessary as he wasn’t told any contact had been attempted since the offence in 2024.
Baillie’s lawyer had requested for him to be sentenced to community payback order instead of imprisonment, as he described the good work that the former priest had done over the years.
He said Baillie had helped generations of people after becoming a priest in 1990, having spent his life “dealing with the sick, dealing with the grieving, dealing with death, funerals and being a chaplain at hospitals”.
According to the BBC, the priest refused to apologise to his victim or speak about the case after being convicted.
A spokesperson for the Diocese stated: “As the offence was reported directly to Police Scotland in November 2024, the diocese was not involved in the police investigation or the subsequent court proceedings.
“The diocese recognised the courage of those who came forward to report this matter and hopes that the sentence imposed will provide some assurance that their voice was heard.”
It declared its “commitment to accompany” victims of church related harm on their “path to healing”.
The spokesperson concluded that a “canonical process” was underway to confirm next steps, emphasising that Baillie had not exercised ministry since his arrest two years ago.