Parish priest only gets five and a half years for 30 years of abusing boys
Yet another flaw of the law when prosecuting child abusers.
30 years of abusing children and only a five and a half year sentence. Child abuse of this nature is treated far too leniently by the british courts and harsher sentencing needs to be promoted and sentences given out should not allow any chance of early release. Child abusers should get life because the victims are left scarred for life.
Child abuse is a very serious crime and it is about time the government treated it seriously.
Latest news on the parish priest ....
Article as displayed on yahoo news
LONDON (Reuters) - A parish priest was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail on Thursday after being found guilty of sexually abusing boys over a 30-year period.
Some of the incidents took place during sleep-overs at St John the Evangelist vicarage in Clevedon, Somerset, where Smith was vicar.
Smith had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Concerns about Smith had been raised with the Church of England on two separate occasions in 1983 and 2001.
A spokesman for the diocese said no formal complaint was made in 1983, but police were immediately notified in 2001 when the second complaint was made.
"We are shocked and horrified that he has fallen so far short of the very high standards expected of priests in the Church of England," the diocese said in a statement.
"We are very sorry that these offences were committed by a man in a position of trust."
Last week, Church of England ex-choirmaster Peter Halliday was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to two-and-a-half years in prison after admitting indecently assaulting boys between 1985 and 1990.
It emerged that both the local vicar and bishop in Farnborough, Hampshire, had been aware of allegations against Halliday, but had failed to report the claims to police.
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