Minister jailed for sex abuse of boys

Tag: new_zealand

A RETIRED North-East church minister who carried out a string of sex attacks on a nine-year old-boy drove his victim to the brink of suicide, a court was told yesterday.

James Briton, at the time a youth worker at the Assemblies of God Pentecostal Church, in Lincoln, was training as a minister when he carried out the abuse more than 30 years ago.

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Lincoln Crown Court heard how the offences remained a secret until the man, now in his 40s, spoke out during a counselling session.

Briton, who went on to serve the church as a minister at the Bishop Auckland-based Wear Valley Christian Centre for more than 25 years, was arrested at his home in County Durham and confessed not only to abusing the boy, but also to a sex offence against another youngster.

Briton, 72, of Tunstall Grove, Bishop Auckland, admitted seven charges of indecent assault and two charges of indecency against one boy and a further charge of indecency involving the second boy. The charges related to offences between January 1975 and June 1976.

Judge Sean Morris, who jailed Briton for four-and-ahalf years, told him: “While you were in that position of trust as a supposedly religious man you performed sex acts on a child.

“You have wrecked a life.

Your victim has had trouble throughout his life thanks to your evil.”

Lois Colley, prosecuting, said Briton committed the offences after befriending the boy and his family.

The victim went to police in October last year and disclosed he had been regularly abused by Briton.

The court heard that, after leaving Lincoln in 1979, Briton went on to become a minister in Bishop Auckland.

He retired at 65, but at the time of his arrest was still working with children at a school and at a Christian centre.

Miss Colley told the court the victim who made the original complaint had tried to take his own life.

She said: “As a nine-yearold, he made a suicide attempt by taking an overdose of medication to try to stop what was happening to him.”

Judith Brennan, for Briton, said: “The matters that have come out have had a devastating effect on his life. He is full of remorse. He is disgusted and ashamed by his behaviour.

“He is fearfully sorry for the difficulties the victim has suffered throughout his life.”

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news...e_of_boys/