Gordon Leighton: Jehovah's Witness Whose Child Abuse Was Covered up by Church Elders Is Jailed

The Mirror
August 23, 2013

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/gordon-leighton-jehovahs-witness-whose-2214200


A Jehovah's Witness whose church covered up his sex abuse of a child was jailed for 13 years yesterday.

Gordon Leighton, 53, broke down and admitted the abuse to three church elders when confronted with allegations.

He confessed to Simon Preyser, Harry Logan and David Scott in 2010 but they refused to co-operate with a police probe, Newcastle crown court heard.

Their barrister Richard Daniels claimed they had a "duty to God" not to breach confidence.

He said: "Privileged communication between members of the congregation and ministers is an absolute right and there is no power in law to breach such a confidence."

But Judge Penny Moreland made an order, saying: "They are in possession of relevant evidence as to a point which is of real significance."

The court heard David Scott, an elder of Washington's Lampton Kingdom Hall, made a telephone call to the church's London HQ.

He was instructed, with other elders, to carry out an investigation into the sex abuse claims against Leighton when they first emerged in December, 2009.

A meeting was set up in April 2010, to see if a "sin" had been committed.

Leighton confessed after Bible verses were quoted which said "God sees everything".

He broke down, and was not 'banished' by the church until further allegations were made against him.

Prosecutor Katherine Dunn told the court: "The elders conducted their own investigation.

After initially denying the allegations the defendant broke down and admitted sexually abusing the complainant."

But Leighton, of Washington, Tyne and Wear, refused to answer any questions when interviewed by detectives and claimed his confession at the meeting was limited.

He was found guilty on two counts of indecency with a child, and six of indecent assault after a six-day trial.

Judge Moreland told him: "You manipulated her with a combination of affection and attention and violence and threats."

She jailed him for 13 years. He was also given a sexual offences prevention order and must sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Leighton was at the centre of an infamous case when his first wife Yvonne, 28, died after refusing a blood transfusion on religious grounds.

After giving birth to a baby boy in January 1993, she needed surgical intervention and developed further complications and blood loss.

But shehad signed a form during her hospital stay, stating she was not to receive a blood transfusion. She died as a result.