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	Catholic Priest in Court Charged with Sexual Offences against Boys Lichfield Blog January 24, 2011 http://thelichfieldblog.co.uk/2011/01/24/catholic-priest-in-court-charged-with-sexual-offences-against-boys/ A Catholic priest living near Lichfield has appeared in court in Staffordshire charged with 19 sexual offences against boys. Alexander Bede Walsh (57), of Abbotts Bromley, is accused of sexually abusing four boys in the 1980s and 90s, when he served as a priest in Coventry and in the Cheadle area of north Staffordshire. The boys were of various ages between eight and 16 during the period of alleged offending. Magistrates today released Fr Walsh on bail, and he is next due to appear at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on January 31. The inquiry is being conducted by detectives form North Staffordshire CID, based at Leek. Sue Hanson, Senior Crown Prosecutor and reviewing lawyer with CPS Staffordshire, said: "Following a long and detailed investigation by Staffordshire Police, we received a file in December 2010 on Alexander Bede Walsh. The file was carefully examined and reviewed in accordance with our Code for Crown Prosecutors, to ensure that we had sufficient evidence and that it was in the public interest to charge Fr Walsh with any criminal offences that he may have committed. "With all of the evidence examined, detectives were authorised and charged Fr Walsh with 17 counts of indecent assault and two counts of buggery on four boys when aged between eight and 16 in the 80s and 90s."
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