Devon Mormon Bishop Accused of Child Sex Abuse

By Paul_Greaves
Devon Live
June 5, 2017

http://www.devonlive.com/devon-mormon-bishop-accused-of-child-sex-abuse/story-30372530-detail/story.html

A former Mormon bishop has gone on trial accused of sexually abusing two girls in Devon.

Stewart Allsford, 66, was a representative of the Church of the Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, at the time of the alleged abuse in the 1990s.

He admits indecently assaulting one of the girls when she 14 but denies five other charges of sex abuse. On the first day of his trial at Exeter Crown Court the jury heard from the alleged victim, now an adult, who said she had tried to hide what had happened from other people as she felt she was somehow to blame.

The offences only came to light when her boyfriend found her childhood diaries and discovered a page describing the defendant's alleged attempts to kiss and touch her. She thought she had destroyed all the evidence because she did not want anyone to know.

She told police: "My boyfriend saw my diary. I can't even remember writing it. I do remember sitting at the bottom of my garden and ripping pages out and chucking them in the bin. I feel stupid that I left one page and someone discovered it. I have felt it every day of my life. I thought everybody would think I'm a disgusting person because I didn't complain at the time.

"I was doing so well. Before I could keep quiet and it didn't matter because nobody is going to ask me any questions. It annoys me I didn't rip it out as I could have kept it quiet. They would have thought it was my own fault and blamed me."

The alleged victim broke down in tears several times as she gave evidence. "It has got to the point where I can't keep it in and secret anymore. I needed to tell someone so I went to the police.

Mark Worsley, defending, said Allsford said the sexual assault only happened when the girl was 14. "That's not true," said the witness.

Allsford, of Davies Avenue in Paignton, is also accused of indecently assaulting a second girl under 13. He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of indecent assault, one of assault by penetration and one of abducting a child under 16. The latter charge relates to an alleged trip he made in his car with a third girl without permission from her parents.

Prosecutor David Sapiecha said Allsford, who is yet to give evidence, told police the victims were lying.

The trial continues.