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	Surprise at Jail for Former City Priest By Ben Truslove Evening Telegraph January 19, 2011 http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/local/surprise_at_jail_for_former_city_priest_1_2320396 FRIENDS and colleagues of a former city priest jailed for downloading child porn have spoken of their shock about the charges. Father John Shannon (58), of The Elms, Chatteris, who was a former Posh chaplain, was sentenced to eight months in prison on Friday after admitting to downloading 740 indecent photographs of children, mostly boys, some aged as young nine. Bob Burrows, a board room host at Peterborough United, recruited Shannon as the first-ever team chaplain in 1995. He said: “I knew him ever so well, he was a lovely old boy so I was gobsmacked when I read it in The Evening Telegraph. “I’m absolutely shocked to be honest. In a situation like that I was speechless. “I find it hard to believe if I’m totally honest. I knew he was into football and he was always up for helping so I asked if he would be chaplain to the team. He jumped at the chance. “It’s obviously totally wrong what he did. But my Christian nature can’t help but feel for him as he sits, probably all alone, in his cell.” Shannon was also a priest at St Peter and All Souls Church, in Geneva Street, and Sacred Heart and St Oswald’s Church in the 1990s. The Catholic congregation in the city has been left reeling from the news of his prison term after the community work he carried out during his time in Peterborough. Shannon coached youth football teams AS Eastfield and Belmore Under 14s as well as helping charity fundraisers, including the Mayor’s appeal. He also vehemently defended the proposals to build two children’s homes in Fulbridge Road and Dogsthorpe Road to replace Salters children’s home which was closing down. Neighbours of the proposed development were angry at the plans. But Shannon stepped in, branding the residents opposed to the homes as a “disgrace” and calling on people to be more caring in society. His views prompted an outburst of anger and the priest was subjected to a torrent of hate mail, obscene phone calls and an attack on his home. At Posh, he offered his prayers for the team in January 1995 when they were suffering a terrible run of form. They were sliding down the league without a win in 10 games and attendances were down on the previous season. Father David Jennings, parish priest at St Peter and All Souls Church, said: “I was very saddened to read the article and people were really quite distressed by the news. “He was quite well liked in Peterborough so it’s tragic on so many levels. Clearly, it is against Christian gospel to be looking at these images. “I hope he takes the opportunities to get professional help and support in this period. “We prayed at Mass on Sunday for those who perpetrate these crimes and their victims. “Many people have known him in a good light. He was a positive force in the city. That he has committed these heinous crimes doesn’t take away from the good he did in Peterborough.” The Catholic Diocese of East Anglia stressed that Shannon withdrew from all active ministry duties when he was arrested on June 16 and was never subject of a complaint of inappropriate behaviour towards youngsters. He was working at Ushaw College, a 200-year-old Catholic seminary near Durham, when he was caught with the indecent images on his computer. There were 521 pictures with Level 1 seriousness, the lowest rating, 133 Level 2, eight at Level 3, 75 at Level 4 and three at Level 5, the worst rating.
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