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	Exclusive: Pastor Stands down after Getting Big Brother Bully Alex's Sister Pregnant Croyden Today July 25, 2008 http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/latestnews/Exclusive-Pastor-stands-getting-Big-Brother-bully-Alex-s-sister-pregnant/article-237048-detail/article.html A pastor has stood down after a relationship with one of his congregation - Big Brother bully Alexandra de Gale's sister - left her pregnant. Leon Richardson, of El-Shaddai Outreach Ministry, confessed to his West Croydon congregation that he had been seeing Donna de-Gale. Although the minister, who has three children from a previous failed marriage, has stood down he continues to attend church activities and was at a bible reading session this Tuesday. As a result around half a dozen church-goers have left the ministry in London Road as they objected to his continued presence. One of them, Sandra Jones, told the Advertiser: "This behaviour is totally wrong. I put my faith and trust in him to find he is doing this. "In my eyes if you are a priest you should set an example.I hear he plans to return after a year but he should stand down permanently. "I'm amazed he has the nerve to show his face in church." In a meeting with select members of the congregation on July 11, Mr Richardson, 39, appealed for forgiveness saying "we don't fall far from sin." When approached by the Advertiser he refused to comment on the scandal and a further accusation that he made an advance on another woman. He said: "I've made my statement to the congregation and it is a personal matter. I think people are trying to be malicious. "This is now between me and my children. I am only answerable to my congregation, which I have done. "Pastors stand down all the time." Miss de-Gale, who is understood to be around three months pregnant, defended the father of her unborn child as "only human". She said: "Of course, you have to set an example but people make mistakes. "So what if it was out of wedlock. People need to get a life – just because he is a man of the cloth does not make him Superman, he is human. "Other people in public life do much worse – like take marijuana. He hasn't done anything illegal." The ministry declined to comment. But former church trustee Althea Smith revealed she left her post shortly after Mr Richardson's confession. She said: "He is still attending the church in the background and I can't stay under those circumstances. We have got to have a certain moral code. "Yes, we make mistakes, but we have to stand by them and show other people integrity but I don't think I have seen that. "I can't abide by any of it and I am totally upset." Nelson King, who is Mr Richardson's landlord, defended his friend, describing him as "a man of integrity." And he accused some of the church members of running a negative campaign against him. Mr King said: "It's very important that people understand that he is a human being. "If he's saying this is the woman I have chosen then it should not result in a scandal. "People should rally around him. They should support his quest to become a family man. "He's not doing well at the moment, but I want everybody to hold back and take a deep breath. They are two consenting adults. "A lot of members wouldn't be where they are today in their jobs, marital home and other things if it wasn't for him. He's acted as a tower of strength and support to so many." In the days following the confession, a parishioner told the Advertiser Mr Richardson had tried to make an advance on her when they were alone. The Croydon woman, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals from members of the congregation, said she thought he had abused his religious position. She said: "He has tried to crack on to me. I told a friend within the church but nothing came of it. I think it's inappropriate for a pastor to be doing these things." "He had to admit his relationship with Donna because the pregnancy was soon going to start to show."
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