A United Kingdom (UK) court
has jailed a 58-year-old Nigerian Catholic priest, Rev. Fr Hillary Nwadei.
The cleric, who is serving at St Mary’s Priory in Leyland, was jailed eight months for sexually assaulting a female worker at the parish.
The cleric, who is serving at St Mary’s Priory in Leyland, was jailed eight months for sexually assaulting a female worker at the parish.
Father Hilary Ogom Nwadei,
58, pleaded guilty to fondling the woman’s breasts and exposing himself while
staying at St Mary’s Priory in Leyland.
Nwadei, from the Diocese of
Issele-Uku, Delta State, Nigeria, began staying at the Priory in September 2013
while he studied a doctorate in law at the University of Central Lancashire,
and also preached to the congregation.
During that time he
complained of loneliness and befriended his victim who he regularly confided in
and often hugged during these exchanges. On December 12, 2013, he
asked the woman to help him pack for a return trip to Nigeria. She agreed and
went to his bedroom.
David Traynor, prosecuting,
said: “The defendant leaned against the door of the room, causing it to shut.
He was between her and her way out of the room.
“He asked her for a kiss
and she presented him with her cheek, but the defendant said ‘No, a proper kiss’,
then kissed her on the lips.
“The victim said she wanted
to leave and tried to leave, then the defendant asked if she had any sexual
feelings towards him.
When she said no the
defendant reached up the back of her jumper and undid her bra.
“Then he moved his hands
round the front, underneath her jumper and placed his hands under her bra, onto
her naked breasts. He fondled her breasts for a matter of seconds.
“The woman made her excuses
to leave, but he was still between her and the door, so she couldn’t leave at
that point.”
The court heard he then
undid his trousers, exposed himself and made a lewd comment. The woman said she
had to leave and Nwadei moved out of the way to let her pass.
Mr Traynor also told the
court Nwadei had told the woman “it was meant to be just you and me” and told
her not to say anything.
The assault followed two
incidents in previous days, where Nwadei had told the woman he loved her,
“twanged” her bra and slipped £100 in her pocket for new underwear.
The woman told a friend and
the matter was raised with the church, who launched an investigation, then told
the police.
Nwadei returned to Nigeria
before moving to London, returning briefly to Leyland to apologise for his
actions. But knowing that he was wanted for questioning, he left the UK again,
following the death of his father and did not return until he was arrested at
Heathrow Airport while on a transit flight to the USA in December 2014 – 12
months after the offence.
Claire Jones, defending,
said: “He yearns to return to his country and has learned a salutary lesson. He
can no longer carry on in this vein.
“He has been asked to leave
the church and also it has shaken his faith going through this experience.”
She insisted there was no
evidence to suggest he tried to stop the victim from leaving the bedroom during
the time of the assault.
Judge Michael Byrne read
out excerpts from the victim’s impact statement, where she told of feeling
intimidated and scared to bump into Nwadei.
Sentencing, he said: “I
make it unequivocally plain that all incidents of sexual assault always
regarded as serious.”
He said although the crime
was at the lower end of the scale, it has two aggravating features – it was a
breach of trust for a minister of religion, and that the invitation to his
bedroom was for the purpose of a sexual encounter.
Reflecting his guilty plea,
Judge Byrne jailed him for eight months with a £100 statutory charge. Nwadei
will be put on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years, and will be deported
from the UK immediately after his jail term expires. DS Carl Matthews “This was
a despicable crime committed by Nwadei who then tried to flee from facing the
consequences of his actions. I hope that today’s sentence brings some closure
to his victim who has been supported by specially trained officers throughout
the process.”
A spokesman for the
Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool said: “Father Ogom came to England to
undertake further studies in Law at the University of Central Lancashire having
received an appropriate Testimonial of Suitability for Ordained Ministry from
the Bishop of Issele-Uku.
“During his stay in this
country he resided in the Archdiocese of Liverpool at St Mary’s, Leyland.
“The case came to light
when the victim reported the matter to the Safeguarding Department of the
Archdiocese. It was immediately referred to Lancashire Police.”
Daily Independent
Daily Independent
Priest indeed, God help us.
ReplyDeleteIs a real breach of trust tired of Nigerians every where in the name of priesthood committing all sort of atrocities. May God Protect Us.
ReplyDeleteBut i throw way salute for British police, they were already waiting for him to tresspass or stop on the queen land which God that wanted to punished made happen.
ReplyDeleteThe man lacks discipline, was never a man of God, always nurse the ambition of violating women, only God knows how many more he has abuse that refused to speak up
ReplyDeleteAgbayaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
ReplyDelete