By Anthony McLean
News Post Leader
April 3, 2009
http://www.newspostleader.co.uk/latest/Catholic-priest-admits-sexual-abuse.5139505.jp
A ROMAN Catholic priest in Northumberland has admitted sexually abusing boys more than 20 years ago.
Father David Taylor, 59, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecently assaulting young boys while he worked as the youth co-ordinator for the Hexham and Newcastle Diocese, stretching from Berwick in the north to the Tees in the south.
He assaulted the children, who were all under 16 years, while a parish priest at Seaham and on pastoral visits to Holy Island in Northumberland.
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| Father David Taylor, who pleaded guilty to five counts of indecently assaulting young boys. |
Taylor, of Northumberland Avenue, Bedlington, was arrested in May of last year at his church of St Peter's, Gateshead.
He was removed from his post pending the outcome of the police investigation and was charged in December last year.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of indecent assault against one victim, two charges of indecent assault against a second, and one charge of indecent assault against a third when he appeared at Durham Crown Court.
All of the offences were carried out between 1982 and 1986.
Judge Peter Bowers granted Taylor unconditional bail to appear back before the court during the first week of May, but warned him "not to read anything into the granting of bail" before sentencing.
"I am prepared to grant you bail pending your sentence," said Judge Bowers.
"But you should realise that bail is no indication whatsoever as to what might happen when you are dealt with."
Taylor was ordained in 1977 and worked in the Seaham area for eight years from 1981.
He moved to St Joseph's in Millfield, Sunderland, in 1989 and left there in 1991 to work on Teesside.
Fr Taylor had several posts in the Middlesbrough area until 2002 when he became parish priest at his last church in Gateshead.
Peter Walsh, defending Taylor, told the court pre-sentence reports would be required from both the probation service and the sex offender team.
Mr Walsh added: "It would seem sensible to set aside at least an hour for the sentencing hearing.
"There are a number of references I will be putting before the court on Fr Taylor's behalf.
"He has been on bail and has attended each of the earlier hearings in good time, so I would ask that bail be extended until the sentencing hearing."
Judge Bowers adjourned the case until a date to be fixed in the week commencing May 4.
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