Vicar avoids jail over child porn offences
DISGRACED vicar Dominic Stone – convicted of downloading child porn – has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Stone, the Vicar of Marchington, near Uttoxeter, strenuously denied searching for child porn on the internet.
But after being found guilty of 16 offences at his trial last month, Stone has since had "a substantial change of mind" and now "admits culpability", Stafford Crown Court heard.
Stone, aged 47, formerly of the Vicarage, Moisty Lane, Marchington was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
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He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years and banned from working with under 16s.
The clergyman has already resigned, but the Church of England is also likely to ban him from working as a priest.
Judge Mark Eades told him yesterday: "You have an unhealthy interest in pornography – that's not against the law, it might be morally reprehensible – but where that unhealthy interest moves on to children and you download images of children, you do break the law.
"I was of the view I would have to send you to prison, because you were denying any involvement.
"You have undergone a significant and substantial change of mind, you do now admit culpability. There is a door which is now ajar."
The jury heard police found just under 500 indecent images of children, some at the most serious levels, on Stone's computer.
Steven Evans, defending, said: "He is beginning to see the error of his ways."
Gavin Drake, spokesman for the Diocese of Lichfield, said: "His behaviour in dragging out the trial and sending out contradictory messages has not helped parishioners come to terms with what he's done.
"The ministry team have been coping extremely well in very difficult circumstances."
Comments
by Warren, Meir
Saturday, December 18 2010, 8:30AM
“Admitted guilt only when proven guilty, this just shows what some of these people are like. Let's just hope no longer member of the ministry team.”
by cynicalmaybe, pagan earth
Friday, December 17 2010, 2:05PM
“well well well, what do we have here the...yet ANOTHER farce of religion! words fail me...HYPOCRITE.”
by Mel, Bucknall
Friday, December 17 2010, 11:40AM
“You have to be kidding. He denies it till he's actually found guilty - PROVEN guilty - and then he says, 'oh, yes, I did do it didn't I? I'm sorry', and the judge decides that shows genuine change of mind. This man had some of the most serious levels of child porn, and was in a position of trust with access to children. Saying sorry when you're caught shouldn't make a difference; jail the creep, and the judge that made this decision with him!”