TEXAS SENATE RACE HEATS UP AS JAMES TALARICO’S PASTOR CAUGHT SAYING SOME CHURCHGOERS 'WISH' TRUMP ASSASSIN WAS 'MORE SUCCESSFUL'. (PHOTO).
Former Bishop of Northampton, David Oakley, has asked the court to dismiss charges of rape and indecent assault brought against him over alleged offences involving a teenage girl.
Oakley, 70, is facing two counts of rape and one count of indecent assault relating to allegations dating back to the early 2000s, when he was serving as a Catholic priest.
The allegations involve a girl who was 15 at the time. Prosecutors allege that Oakley sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, including at a presbytery and on a canal boat.
The case also includes an allegation that Oakley kissed the teenager during a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France.
Oakley was charged in June following an investigation by Staffordshire Police’s rape and serious sexual offences team. He was subsequently withdrawn from public ministry and remains on conditional bail.
The bishop appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday as the legal proceedings continued. His defence team is seeking the dismissal of the charges.
Oakley, who became Bishop of Northampton in 2020, has not been convicted of any offence. The allegations remain before the court, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case is expected to return to court on January 4 as proceedings continue.
Comments
Post a Comment