Trainee Church of England minister jailed for indecent assault on girl under 14 over 30 years ago

A trainee minister indecently assaulted a woman beneath 14 over 30 years in the past – and has now been jailed.

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Thomas De Lacey, 77, was jailed at Preston Crown Court docket Periods Home as we speak (1 March) for 4 years.

De Lacey was a trainee Church of England minister when he twice indecently assaulted a woman who was visiting his home in Preston to assist with a church matter.

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The sufferer saved what occurred to herself till 2022 when she summoned the braveness to make a grievance by way of the Diocese of Blackburn safeguarding crew who alerted Lancashire Police.

Officers began an investigation which led to De Lacey being interviewed and charged.

De Lacey, now of The Hawthornes, Rufford, in West Lancashire, was discovered responsible by a jury after a five-day trial in February of two offences of indecent assault of a woman beneath the age of 14.

Decide Graham Knowles KC, sentenced De Lacey to 4 years imprisonment and ordered him to signal the intercourse offenders’ register for all times. The choose additionally banned De Lacey from working with kids for all times.

Simon Morris, an investigation officer with Lancashire Police’s Main Crime Evaluation Workforce, stated: “De Lacey carried out these offences three a long time in the past, however justice has lastly caught up with him.

“The sufferer was a younger lady when she was assaulted by De Lacey and she or he bravely got here ahead as an grownup to report what had occurred.

“Lancashire Police are dedicated to investigating allegations of this nature regardless of how way back they occurred. Anybody who has been the sufferer of a sexual offence will probably be handled sensitively.”

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