The Courier
November 13, 2008
http://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/news/Former-priest-denies-bigamy-in.4690595.jp
A FORMER clergyman alleged to have committed bigamy in Leamington had a history of marrying and fleecing vulnerable women, a court has heard.
Roderick Gordon Sangster married Janet Ann Pollard at St Paul's church in Leicester Street in 2004.
But Warwick Crown Court was told this week that he kept a crucial secret from his new bride and the vicar - he was already married.
Sangster is also alleged to have used Ms Pollard's name to defraud Northern Rock of ?10,000. And he went to great efforts to pretend to his 'wife' he was being paid to write a book - faking chest pains and being taken to Warwick Hospital when he was about to be found out.
In all, Ms Pollard was left ?55,000 out of pocket, it is claimed.
The trial of the 58-year-old, who had also worked as a policeman in Scotland, began in his absence on Wednesday after he failed to turn up.
He has pleaded not guilty to bigamy and fraud.
 |
| Roderick Sangster arrives for an earlier hearing. |
David Jones, prosecuting, said: "A pattern emerges that Mr Sangster used to choose ladies who were fairly financially secure, but vulnerable.
"After his first marriage, which lasted 25 years, he moved on to another lady who he married. The third one, he married while he was still married to the second."
The jury was told that Sangster's previous marriages both broke down when he forged his wives' signatures to claim money.
He is also alleged to have adopted children so he could get hold of money left to them in a trust fund. One of his previous wives supported him after he stole ?10,000 from his employer.
Sangster developed a relationship over the internet with Ms Pollard in 2003, while she was recovering from cancer. When they separated after living in Leamington and being married for two years, she allegedly found she had debts of ?55,000 - run up by Sangster.
He was arrested at the Crown Hotel in Chester, where he was working in June 2007, and admitted he had never been a writer and had borrowed money to keep up his lifestyle, the court heard.
Mr Jones said: "He admitted he had forged Janet's signature. He claimed she knew all about it - and of the money he had taken from the account, he said he was entitled to it.
"He eventually conceded he 'may not be 100 per cent sure he was divorced'." The trial continues.
The marriages of Roderick Sangster
Roderick Gordon Sangster's allegedly colourful past - including details of his marriages was aired at Warwick Crown Court on Wednesday.
Wife number one was Frances Richards, now Tait, whom he married in December 1971, and with whom he had four children.
The court heard he had many jobs in Scotland during that time, including Church of Scotland minister and policeman.
He left Mrs Tait after forging her signature on two loan applications, the court heard.
Mr Sangster then met Jill Jackson in October 1994 and moved in with her and proposed to her in early 1995.
When he adopted her children, it was regarded as a "noble act", according to prosecutor David Jones - but he claimed Mr Sangster's true motive was financial, as it gave him access to a trust fund.
Mr Sangster got a job with Victoria Wines in Pitlochry in Scotland and stole ?10,000, but was not sent to prison when the case was heard in 2000.
His wife supported him throughout the hearings. When he left her in September 2002, she found she was ?30,000 in debt - money he had borrowed which the court heard she knew nothing about.
She was declared bankrupt and started divorce proceedings. But Mr Sangster allegedly wrote her a letter stating: "I'd have given you whatever you wanted, divorce, cash, anything, but you'll get nothing.
You don't even get a divorce because you won't be able to reach me."
He moved to Evesham in Worcestershire, where he met Leamington woman Janet Ann Pollard through a dating website.
After they married, he persuaded her to move back to Scotland where she got a job and they got a mortgage.
By February 2006, he had no job, and she was supporting him financially. Mr Jones said: "He told her he was writing a book and had a contract for ?107,000 and it would be published in February 2007.
"He was even sent emails from publishers, but the whole thing was make-believe. What he did was purchase a domain name for his so-called publisher."
On the pretext of signing the deal he said he had to go to London - but she went with him, the court heard.
When they visited Leamington on the way, he allegedly faked chest pains and was taken to hospital before saying he was not well enough to continue.
Mr Sangster, who helped himself to ?1,250 from their joint account, then applied for a loan from Northern Rock in Ms Pollard's name – and forged her signature. The trial continues.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.