Priest sex trial: Church pledges support to scandal-hit parishes

UNITED KINGDOM
The Sentinel

THE head of the Roman Catholic church in the West Midlands has spoken out about the “horrendous” sexual abuse committed by a former priest.

Bede Walsh has been found guilty of carrying out 21 sexual offences against eight boys when he served as a priest in churches across the Archdiocese of Birmingham, including in Cheadle.

After finding Walsh guilty of 18 charges of indecent assault and one serious sexual offence at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Monday, the jury yesterday finished its deliberations to convict him of a further two counts.

Walsh, aged 58, will be sentenced on March 9 and has been warned a lengthy sentence is “inevitable”.

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