By Paul Britton and Nicola Dowling
Manchester Evening News [United Kingdom]
December 7, 2006
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/230/230166_priest_on_12_child_sex_charges.html
A Former Church of England rector who became a Catholic priest has been charged with a dozen sex offences against boys.
John McCollough, 61, is accused of eight counts of indecent assault and four of gross indecency. They are alleged to have happened during his time at the Christ the King with Holy Trinity Church in Spring Street, Bury, in the late eighties and early nineties. He will appear before magistrates in Bury next Wednesday.
He was the rector there between 1985 and 1995, but is understood to have left to join the Catholic Church in 1997 amid the row over the ordination of women.
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| Charged: Father John McCullough |
Mr McCollough, who moved to Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, is currently the priest at St Vincent's Church in Dagenham, but has been on `administrative leave' since the police investigation began.
'Saddened'
A police spokesman said: "John Keith McCollough is charged with eight offences of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency against two children. He has been granted bail."
A spokesman for the C of E Diocese of Manchester said: "We are all very saddened by these allegations."
A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Brentwood said: "We can confirm John McCollough has been charged with a number of offences alleged to have taken place some years ago before he became a Catholic priest."
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