Son Defends Former Priest in Dock

Eastbourne Herald
May 14, 2013

http://www.eastbourneherald.co.uk/news/local-news/son-defends-former-priest-in-dock-1-5086262

Gordon rideout leaving court.

The son of a retired Anglican priest accused of 37 sexual assaults against children has spoken of how ‘generous’ and ‘principled’ his father is.

Gordon Rideout (pictured), 74, from Polegate, denies 35 indecent assaults and two attempted rapes.

Thirty-two of the charges relate to his time as assistant curate at a children’s home in West Sussex.

He is accused of abusing boys and girls between 1962 an 1973.

Speaking at the trial at Lewes Crown Court on Monday (May 13), his eldest son Andrew, 47, said his father lived a Christian life both publicly and personally.

He said: “I would say he is a very generous man in his time, and his attitude. He was very generous to people who were doing well. I remember him recounting stories of someone who had done something particularly good. He was also generous towards people who were not doing well, someone failing or who had a flaw.

“He is very principled in the idea that his personal belief and his public face should tally. What he did in public reflected what he believed and what he believed was based on his Christian faith. I think he was someone who lived out a Christian life both personally and publicly.”

In his summing up prosecuting, Philip Bennetts, QC, said there were similarities between each victim’s account and they had not communicated previously. He asked the jury if this was ‘mere coincidence’ or because their accounts were true.

He also said the majority of complainants had not asked for compensation and in some cases the police had sought them out, rather than them contacting the police. He said the complainants had nothing to gain from the accusations. This was disputed by Mr Rideout’s defence.

In evidence Mr Rideout said he had never been camping with the children, or had much ‘involvement.’ This was disputed by Mr Bennetts, who said a letter sent to a new employer mentioned his time camping with the children.

Mr Bennetts said: “It is for you to consider all the evidence fairly and perhaps one question having reviewed the evidence, is, do we have before us an innocent man where the facts we have heard from witnesses have a very strange similarity by chance?

“We say to you the evidence is coherent, capable material, demonstrating a similarity, and guilt. “We feel safe surely for a verdict of guilty on each and every one of these counts.”

Defending Frances Oldhan, QC, said there were several inconsistencies in the evidence, including one witnesses who described his attacker as having long blond hair where as Mr Rideout’s hair was black.

She asked if witnesses were reliable and said some witnesses had their dates wrong, and claimed they had been abused by the defendant long after he had left the home.

She said: “He [Mr Rideout] says to you in clear terms, whatever may have happened, it was not at my hands. I am not guilty. I make no apology for reiterating this.”

The trial continues.