Vicar Formerly of Southfields Convicted of Two Indecent Assaults on Girls under 13
By Laura Proto
A retired vicar who indecently assaulted a child while he was a curate at a church in Southfields has been jailed for three years. Graham Gregory, 79, was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 13 last year, and was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday, May 26. A woman contacted police in 2012, saying she had been abused between 1969 and 1971 when she lived in Wandsworth and attended the church where Gregory was a curate. She said Gregory, now of Brockfield Park Drive, Huntington, York, kissed her on several occasions before he assaulted her. Another woman, who also knew Gregory through the same church, later came forward and told police she had also been abused by him while she was a child. He was interviewed in January 2013 and denied the allegations, claiming not to know one of the women. After being summoned to Kingston Crown Court on December 8, 2014, Gregory was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and not guilty on three other charges. Detective Constable Aaron Vardy, of the Met’s sexual offences exploitation and child abuse command, said Gregory abused his position of trust when committing the offences. He added: "It takes a lot of courage to report this type of crime and in some cases victims feel that they are only able to come forward years after the offence. "This conviction highlights that regardless of how much time has passed, we remain committed to bringing offenders before the courts. "I would urge anyone else who may have been a victim of Gregory’s abuse to contact with the police." Gregory also previously held positions as a vicar in Hastings, Chichester, York and the Isle of Man. Anyone who may have been or victim or has any information should call police on 101.
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